Czech representative Markéta Davidová during training before the Biathlon World Cup, February 28, 2023, Nové Město na Moravě, Žďársko.
Nové Město na Moravě (Žďársko) – The greatest attention in the women's national team will be focused on Markéta Davidová at the World Cup in Nové Město na Moravě. The Czech biathlon number one in recent seasons does not set specific goals and is looking forward to the stormy backdrop that the spectators in the Vysočina arena can create. She said this at a press conference after training.
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Photo gallery: Biathlon SP in Nové Město
At the recent World Championships in Oberhof, David finished fifth in the mass start and sixth in the sprint. However, the twenty-six-year-old competitor does not consider this to be a sign of her form and an indication of how she might fare in Nové Město.
“Every race is different, you always start from scratch and how I raced last time doesn't say anything about how I'll do now. I want to shoot well here and have a good feeling about the run, I won't be specific in terms of placing,” she said at today's short meeting with the media after an early evening training session in Vysočín.
Last week, Davidová returned from the venue of the World Championships in Oberhof with a slight cold, but it did not have a major impact on the preparation. “Rather, it gave me a signal to slow down and rest. I was with the horses, spent time with my family and also trained. I didn't manage to do much more,” she described the content of the past seven days.
At the last cup race in Nové Město na Moravá in 2020, Davidová finished in a great third place in the sprint. “I don't even remember how it happened, I only vaguely remember that it was raining or it was very wet,” she recalled.
But what she remembered immediately were the empty stands, because the races were took place without spectators due to the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. “It was the first race without spectators in an uncertain time and no one knew what awaited us in the following weeks,” she recalled of the gloomy atmosphere at the time.
Something like that is out of the question now. The stands will be full and the spectators will wear the Czech colors not only in the stadium, but also along the tracks. “There's a new tunnel and changed tracks, I know it's going to be really loud here. I'm expecting a stormy atmosphere mainly at the stadium. The stands are relatively close to the shooting range and it's definitely going to be crazy,” said Davidová.
Among the fans will be her closest and a few friends. However, no mass ordering of tickets for her supporters took place, according to Davidová. “A few acquaintances and friends will come, but as normal,” she said.
Her long-time friend Eva Puskarčíková, who has already ended her career, will take over together with Gabriela Soukalová and Veronika Vítková on Saturday. and Jitka Landová additionally bronze medals from the relay at the Olympic Games in Sochi 2014.
“Hopefully it will be possible to combine it with my races so that I can watch the ceremony. Eva has already written to me, I look forward to seeing her. She already has everything planned,” added Davidová. The first race awaits her and the other biathletes on Friday, when the sprint is on the program.
