Severely frozen Venla Lehtonen now stretched to the best of his career – Kaisa Mäkäräinen glows with mental edge | Sport

Venla Lehtonen’s shooting performance in the relay last weekend was catastrophic. In Annecy, he was able to turn failure into success.

Venla Lehtonen succeeded perfectly in the Biathlon World Cup sprint competition in Annecy. Lehtonen, who shot cleanly, was behind the winner of the race, France From Justine Braisaz-Bouchet 55 seconds and was 13th in the race.

This is the Joensuu’s best finish in the World Cup, and by throwing, because previously Lehtonen’s best finish in the individual World Cup competition was 36th in Pokljuka in the 2018–2019 season.

– I am really happy and relieved. I was finally able to do what I know and have practiced, Lehtonen said in the Biathlon Union’s press release.

Last weekend in Hochfilzen, Lehtonen was completely frozen in the relay on the shooting bench. His vertical shooting lasted a total of 2 minutes and 20 seconds. Now Lehtonen was able to turn his pain point into his strength, because he clocked the fastest shooting time of the whole race.

– This was a very good rise from Venla, especially on a mental level after last weekend’s freezing, Urheilu’s expert Kaisa Mäkäräinen praised.

Mäkäräinen reminded that Lehtonen had already shown good signs at the opening of the World Cup in Kontiolahti.

– He is physically in good shape and the shooting goes well at best. Now he succeeded in an important personal competition.

Lehtonen said in the press release that he had talked with the coaches about the fact that the shooting must be in good rhythm, no matter what the final result might be. He was very pleased that he succeeded. Lehtonen had prepared for the week cautiously due to symptoms of fatigue.

– The week has been really difficult and I was really tired after traveling. I woke up on Wednesday with a sore throat, which is why I have taken the week off. Considering the starting points, the end result was really good, although the physical fitness was still a little low.

Lehtosen has had health challenges before. His 2022–23 season ended prematurely due to pericarditis. At that time, Lehtonen had to leave Oberhof in the middle of the sprint race of the World Championships after first shooting zeroes from both places.

The event was a big shock for Lehtones, but he has returned to seek success and success. Lehtonen gets into Saturday’s chase from good positions, so the feelings are good for a reason.

– I have been dying for a place in the four shooting competitions. I got a good starting point for the chase, from which we will chase even better positions, Lehtonen assured.

Kaisa Mäkäräinen gave her former protégé and other chasing Finns clear advice for the race:

– Making use of good pees, the sleeping places for sure, and then only in the vertical position, thumbs up, that all the boards fall over!

Suvi Minkkinen 18:s

The Finnish success was complemented by Suvi Minkkinenwho was 18. Minkkinen shot one penalty and was 59.4 seconds behind the leader.

Minkkinen has been a Finnish sensation in the early season, as he was third in the Kontiolahti sprint race and seventh in the Hochfilzen pursuit. He continues in seventh place in the World Cup overall points.

Inka Hämäläinen he also took his career-best ranking in the World Cup, when he was 58th. It brought a place in the pursuit race for the first time in his career. Five fines fired Sonja Leinamo was 83rd.

Slovenia finished third in the Annecy sprint Anamarija Lampic. The top prize is his first at the Biathlon World Cup. In cross-country skiing, Lampic has World Cup medals and World Cup race wins.