The second day of the IBU Para Biathlon World Cup in Jakuszyce once again delivered high drama. As always, the Sprint Pursuit races provided excitement right down to the final meters, with fierce battles for victory and podium places - a true trademark of this discipline format.

The day began with Sprint races, which determined the starting order for the afternoon Pursuit. Both races covered a distance of just over 3km. Taras Rad continued his excellent form, claiming his second victory of the weekend by winning both the qualification and the final. A thrilling duel unfolded behind him, with Eui Hyun Shin narrowly edging Aaron Pike for second place. Derek Zaplotinsky finished seventh but moved even closer to securing the men’s sitting Total Score title. Heading into Sunday’s race, he holds a commanding 95-point advantage over Scott Meenagh. With 100 points awarded for a victory, the Canadian is within touching distance of the Crystal Globe.

The women’s sitting competition delivered one of the biggest surprises of the season. For the first time since the IBU took over the discipline, none of the Gretsch–Masters–Wicker trio stood on the top step of the podium. Instead, Yunji Kim claimed her first career World Cup victory. The 19-year-old executed a flawless final and held off a charging Oksana Masters by just 3.5 seconds. Kendall Gretsch completed the podium after overtaking Anja Wicker in the final loop. Despite missing out on the win, Wicker’s performance was enough to secure her overall Total Score title.

In the men’s standing category, Serhii Romaniuk answered in perfect fashion to his disqualification earlier in the week. The Ukrainian was flawless in both stages of the competition, earning his first victory of the season. The battle for second place carried added significance, as Benjamin Daviet and Mark Arendz - separated by just one point in the overall standings before the race - went head-to-head. Daviet finished second, extending his lead to six points ahead of Sunday’s Individual, setting up a thrilling finale to the Crystal Globe fight.

Another victory for Team Ukraine followed in the women’s standing category, where Oleksandra Kononova showed her usual rise in form as the season’s main event approaches. The 34-year-old led from start to finish to secure her first victory of the winter. Natalie Wilkie finished second despite one shooting miss, crossing the line nine seconds behind - a result that nevertheless confirmed her overall Crystal Globe victory. Liudmyla Liashenko completed the podium.

Just when a continued Ukrainian sweep seemed likely in the men’s vision-impaired category - after they claimed all three podium places on Thursday - the German team struck back. Nico Messinger and Lennart Volkert engaged in a dramatic sprint duel, with Messinger prevailing by just 0.4 seconds. The result cut Volkert’s overall lead to just 15 points heading into Sunday’s 12.5km Individual.

In the women’s vision-impaired category, victory once again went to the Czech Republic. With Simona Bubencikova resting, it was Carina Edlingerova who stepped into the spotlight. The 27-year-old delivered an impressive performance, building her advantage in the qualification race and defending it firmly to the final 24 seconds ahead of Johanna Recktenwald and 27 seconds clear of Linn Kazmaier. Despite the defeat, Recktenwald remains firmly in control of the overall standings, holding a 75-point lead ahead of the final race.

Photos: IBU | Wlaźlak