Golden SB WCH for Czechs

Marketa Davidova, Michal Krcmar, Tomas Mikyska, and Vitezslav Hornig brought a lot of joy to the home fans at the Summer Biathlon World Championships. The four Czech collected 11 medals in total - but two of them outshone the rest.

Two golds, one silver for Marketa Davidova

Davidova, the world champion in the individual from the IBU World Championships Pokljuka 2021, won gold in the super sprint and the pursuit. She also won a silver medal in the sprint, where Monika Hojnisz-Starega of Poland was 11.1 seconds faster.

Davidova emphasised how the short 1500 meter loop made the pursuit win at the Summer Biathlon World Championships so demanding. “Today’s competition was hard because it is such a short loop. You have to ski fast every time and shoot fast and clean because it is so short and tight. It was fun in the end…I had to shoot fast, but I still was so slow! I was concentrating on my shooting and what I know to do. The last loop was the same as Friday, so we knew what we had to do. It was nice today with the fans, especially when they all sang the national anthem. It was awesome. Thanks to all of them.”

Krcmar's double

Michal Krcmar was the fastest man, both in the sprint and pursuit. It took a lot out of him, but he was nevertheless happy.

"I am tired today. It was such a hard race for me. I had heavy legs in the tracks. I still managed to concentrate and shoot well. I am satisfied with my shooting performance. In the last loop, I enjoyed the support of the amazing spectators. It is helpful for us athletes to have them back in the stands. I tapped hands with my friends on the track. That was nice!," said Krcmar.

Mikyska just like Davidova

Tomas Mikyska won a gold medal in the junior men sprint and pursuit; he was second in junior men super sprint behind his team colleague Vitezslava Hornig. Hornig also had successful championships as he won silver in the sprint and bronze in the pursuit.

"I didn't sleep well last night. I wasn't sure about my energy reserves today. I shot badly in the prone. My coach gave me shouting advice during the next lap, and I found the rhythm for first standing shooting. I was lucky in the last shooting. In the last loop I found reserves for a speedy finish and another gold," commented Mikyska.

After the winter double in Lenzerheide 2020, a summer double for Shevchenko in Nove Mesto

Anastasia Shevchenko, representing the RBU, won junior women sprint and pursuit. Just a throwback, she won gold in the sprint and the pursuit at the IBU Youth/Junior World Championships 2020 in Lenzerheide, Switzerland.

"Today the competition was successful for me. I was a bit surprised when I found out that my lead after the sprint was halved after my first penalty loop. I still felt I had a good chance for gold. It was very important to keep a clean sheet in the last shooting. I managed to do that and I am pleased with my performance," said Shevchenko.

Photo: C. Manzoni/IBU