Only Norwegians ahead: Ukrainian takes 4th place in individual race at Kontiolahti World Cup
The men's short individual race took place on 3 December at the first stage of the Biathlon World Cup in Kontiolahti, Finland.
Source: Champion, a sports news platform within Ukrainska Pravda’s holding company
Details: Ukrainian Vitalii Mandzyn, 21, hit all 20 targets and sensationally finished in 4th place, achieving the best result of his career.
Captain of the Ukrainian team, Dmytro Pidruchnyi, closed the top ten. The biathlete, 33, incurred 45 seconds of penalties on his last shot.
Anton Dudchenko also missed one target, finishing 15th. This placed the three Ukrainians in the top 15, an excellent outcome that strengthens Ukraine’s position in the Nations Cup standings as they aim to regain a five-biathlete quota.
In Nadiia Bielova’s team of athletes, only Artem Tyshchenko had a disappointing race. Despite missing just one target, the Ukrainian, 30, showed weak pace on the track and failed to score points.
Mandzyn was only bested by three Norwegians. Johannes Thingnes Bø, hindered by one missed shot, took silver. Endre Strømsheim, with flawless shooting, claimed gold, while Sturla Holm Lægreid secured bronze.
Mandzyn will compete in the next men’s race, the sprint, on 6 December wearing the blue bib as the leader of the under-23 biathlete standings. This marks the first time in history a Ukrainian will wear this bib.
The Kontiolahti World Cup stage continues on 4 December with the women’s short individual race, scheduled to begin at 17:20 Kyiv time.
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