From left, Czech representatives Markéta Davidová, Lucie Charvátová and Tereza Voborníková during training before the Biathlon World Cup, February 28, 2023, Nové Město na Morava, Žďársko.
Nové Město na Moravě (Žďársko) – The biathlon World Cup, which returns to the Vysočina Arena after two years, will start in Nové Město na Moravě with the Thursday men's sprint. The main Czech hope is Markéta Davidová, who awaits the sprint a day later. On the weekend, pursuit races and mixed relays are on the program. For the first time since December 2018, Nové Město will compete in front of full stands, and on Saturday, spectators will see the presentation of bronze medals to the women's relay team from the Olympic Games in Sochi 2014. The World Cup is a rehearsal for the organizers before the World Championships next year.
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Photo gallery: Biathlon SP in Nové Město
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Although the eighth woman in the World Cup standings, Davidová came out empty-handed at the World Cup in Oberhof in February, she was fifth in the final race with a mass start. The 26-year-old biathlete from Janov nad Nisou is also the last Czech medalist from her home race, three years ago she was third in the sprint.
“At that time, the stands were empty and the coronavirus pandemic was starting. It was strange. The competition was silent and nobody he didn't know how it would develop. After all, it could even be the last race,” Davidová told journalists. “Now I'm looking forward to it. The backdrop will be stormy, not only in the stadium, where the stands are relatively close to the shooting range, but it will also be very loud on the track,” she added.
Lucie Charvátová, Tereza Voborníková, Tereza Vinklárková and Jessica Jislová are also in the Czech nomination. Her start is uncertain due to a muscle injury. The men's team consists of Michal Krčmář, Jonáš Mareček, Tomáš Mikyska, Jakub Štvrtecký and Adam Václavík.
“After the championship, I rested. I didn't feel very well, but at the end of the week I felt like it again. I don't have any great expectations, I would like to keep my running form from Oberhof and manage it on the shooting range. It is the second peak of the season after the World Cup, but on the other hand, it's about the same points as elsewhere. Svěťak is long, I'm looking forward to it, but I don't distinguish it extra,” said Krčmář.
In addition to the races, Saturday's ceremony, during which Gabriela Soukalová, Veronika Vítková, Jitka Landová and Eva Puskarčíková will additionally receive bronze Olympic medals from the relay in Sochi. Nine years ago, the Czech national team finished fourth when Ukraine won, but the Russians were originally second, but were later disqualified due to doping.
The announcement will be made by the Olympic anthem, the medals will be presented by the head of the Czech Olympic Committee, Jiří Kejval, and the president of Czech Biathlon and the vice-president of the International Biathlon Union, Jiří Hamza. “It will be the climax of the whole story,” Hamza pointed out. The ceremony will take place between the men's and women's pursuit races.
The seventh event of this year's World Cup will take place in the area that is being prepared for the 2024 World Cup. The capacity of the stands is reduced by two thousand seats due to the modifications. “Next year we will come back, but now we have to experiment a bit,” said Hamza.
The favorite in the men's race is Norwegian Johannes Thingnes Bö, who won five gold medals at the World Cup and leads the WC by 219 points ahead of compatriot Sturla Holm by Laegreid. Among the women, the first is Julia Simon from France, who has a lead of 76 points over Sweden's Elvira Öberg. Saturday's pursuit races will take place from 13:50 and 15:45. Sunday's program will end with a mixed relay from 11:30 and a mixed pairs relay from 15:15.
