Members of the Norwegian relay team (from left) Ingrid Landmark Tandrevoldová, Marte Olsbu Röiselandová, Sturla Holm Laegreid and Johannes Thingnes Bö rejoice at the finish line of the mixed relay race after winning the World Championships in Oberhof, Germany on February 8, 2023.
Oberhof (Germany) – Czech biathletes entered the World Championships in Oberhof with fifth place in the mixed relay. The quartet of Tereza Voborníková, Markéta Davidová, Michal Krčmář and Tomáš Mikyska reloaded seven times on the shooting range, but avoided a penalty round. Almost fourteen seconds separated the Czech competitors from the medals, and they achieved the best result since bronze at the 2020 World Cup at the top event.
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The title of world champions was defended by the Norwegians. The main favorites succeeded in the 4×6 kilometer race despite Ingrid Landmark Tandrevold's penalty on the first leg. The Italians were second with a loss of 11.6 seconds, the bronze was won by the French. The Czechs lost one minute and nine seconds to the victorious Norwegians.
“It was a great race. I'm very happy. It's a great start to the World Championships,” Matthew Emmons, the shooting coach of the Czech biathletes, told Czech Television.
< p>The mixed relay was started by World Championship debutante Voborníková, who replaced the injured Jessica Jislova. The 22-year-old competitor completed two shots lying down and one while standing. In the second section, she passed Davidova in seventh place. Right behind the Czech biathletes were the Norwegians, who were delayed by one penalty round from Tandrevold.
“I'm sorry for the layup. I can't evaluate where the wounds were. It's treacherous here and the initial nervousness didn't help me much,” stated Voborníková. “I would have been satisfied with seventh place before the start, but in the end it could have been one less charge. But it wasn't such a disaster,” she added.
The eighth woman of the World Cup, Davidová, missed one target in both events, but was always able to correct the mistakes. In the middle of the race, the Czechs were eighth with a loss of 55.1 seconds to the leading Italy. They were separated from the medal by almost a minute and a half.
“It was difficult. I was hoping that I would do better. I'm sorry that the girls jerked me in the shooting. In the first round they rolled me, but in the second I she kept her distance. I hope I brought it up to Bimbo in contact. I'm sorry, it could have been a lot better,” declared Davidová.
The most experienced Czech competitor Krčmář succeeded in the third section. He missed only one of the eleven targets and sent the debutant Mikyska to the last stage in fifth place with a loss of 26.8 seconds to the leader.
“I am very satisfied. For the guys, the two-kilometer section was a huge drop. It was a total sprint and rapid fire at the shooting range,” said Krčmář. “I'm glad that we managed to demonstrate what we trained with Matt (Emmons) and Michal (Málek) in Ridnaun. I accelerated my shooting, I wasn't afraid of it, and from this point of view there is great satisfaction,” added Krčmář.
< p>Mikyska was losing from the start on skis, but thanks to a clean prone position and the shooting collapse of Swede Sebastian Samuelsson, who had to take three penalty rounds, he remained in fifth place. The Czechs lost ten seconds to the fourth Austria at the finish line. “Positive feelings prevail. The shooting was great. It's a shame about one standing shot, but I felt good on the track,” said Mikyska.
Norwegians won the mixed relay race at the World Cup for the fourth time in a row. The finisher and the biggest favorite of the championship, Johannes Thingnes Bö, won the thirteenth gold in his career.
Mixed relay (4×6 km): 1. Norway (Tandrevoldová, Olsbuová-Röiselandová, Laegreid, J.T. Bö) 1:04:41.9 (1 penalty lap + 9 charging), 2. Italy (Vittozzi, Wierer, Bionaz, Giacomel) -11.6 (0+6), 3. France (Simon, Chevalier-Bouchet, Jacquelin , Fillon Maillet) -55.9 (0+9), 4. Austria -59.2 (0+3), 5. Czechia (Voborníková, Davidová, Krčmář, Mikyska) -1:09.4 (0+7), 6. Germany -1:26.5 (1+9).
