MINSK, 3 February (BelTA) - We have quite young teams, and they are showing good results this year, two-time bronze medalist of the World Championship, 11-time world champion in summer biathlon and a member of the technical committee of the International Biathlon Union Olga Nazarova said on the air of the STV TV channel, BelTA has learned.
Olga Nazarova called the change of generations in the teams as a positive thing. "There has been a change of generations and we have up-and-coming athletes both in the women's and men's teams. I am glad that we have quite young squads, and that they are showing good results this year. As for Dzinara Alimbekava, she has been very stable this season. She is a top athlete: confident in the shooting range, good on the track. She is definitely a medal contender. Hanna Sola has been great this season. Last year showed that she knows how to pull herself together in difficult situations. Anton Smolski has been stable and confident as well," Olga Nazarova noted.
The experienced biathlete also commented on the difficulties faced by the Belarusian athletes at the Olympics. "There was an established routine. A pre-Olympic week, the World Cup, was held a year before the Olympic Games where athletes could get familiar the Olympic track, feel it. There was no such opportunity this Olympics because of the pandemic. Athletes will start from scratch. Biathletes need to maintain a delicate body balance. A lot depends on the acid-base balance, on breathing. They are in the mountains area. Acclimatization is very important," olga Nazarova said.
The 24th Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing from 4 to 20 February. Belarusian coaches fielded Dzinara Alimbekava, Hanna Sola, Mikita Labastau and Anton Smolski for the first biathlon race. The mixed relay will be held at the National Biathlon Center in Zhangjiakou on 5 February. The race is to start at 12.00 Minsk time.
