Darja Virolainen returns to the World Cup tracks in Hochfilzen after a break of many years.
SpongeBob Forsberg,
Inka Henelius
On Friday, will show the Biathlon World Cup sprint races on its channels. Men’s race from 12:25 and women’s race from 15:20.
Biathlon skier Darja Virolainen, 34, is in a new situation on Friday. The first Biathlon World Cup competition for the Finnish team is ahead.
The sprint race in Hochfilzen is also the Estonian’s first World Cup race for his mother, who served as a role model, Anfisa Reztsovaafter death.
Reztsova, who died in October at the age of 58, is the only athlete to have won Olympic gold in both cross-country skiing and biathlon.
Reztsova, who represented the Soviet Union, achieved the brightest medal in cross-country skiing in the 4×5 kilometer relay at the 1988 Calgary Olympics ahead of Norway and Finland. In addition, Reztsova celebrated Olympic silver in the 20 km freestyle skiing race in Calgary. As a cross-country skier, he won three relay golds and two individual silver medals at the World Championships.
As a biathlete, Reztsova celebrated Olympic gold in Albertville in 1992 with a distance of 7.5 kilometers. In Lillehammer, two years later, he got to celebrate the Olympic gold relay in biathlon.
The Virolainen, who lived in Finland for seven years and received citizenship in 2021, got the right to represent Finland in international biathlon competitions this year.
Read more: The Russian politician got angry when he heard that Darja Virolainen was going to represent Finland – now the biathlete opens the background of his decision to
The death of his mother just before the competition season has been difficult for the Estonian.
– Yes, it is difficult. I think about it often, and it’s hard for me to talk about it now. It’s been really close and I think it’s always difficult, but now it’s even more so, Virolainen tells Urheilu.
– I often want to talk to my mother, but it’s not possible.
The Estonian has managed to talk to his sister Kristina Reztsova with, who is the Beijing Olympic silver medalist in the women’s biathlon relay and the bronze medalist in the mixed relay.
– We talk often. He said take it easy and enjoy what you are doing.
The dream is to rank in the top ten
The Estonian brings experience to the women’s national team, when Kaisa Mäkäräinen, Mari Eder and Nastassia Kinnunen have ended their careers.
The Estonian, 34, has last competed at the World Cup level in the 2017–2018 season, when he was still representing Russia. This season he has competed at the second highest international level in the IBU Cup. The rankings of the two individual races have been 26th and 29th.
The Estonian’s goal this season is to develop his weaknesses. He thinks that there is room for improvement, especially in skiing. The dream would be to get into the top ten in the World Cup again.
– Right now, after the IBU Cup, I think it’s impossible, but we’ll see later.
In the women’s speed race, Finland is participating in addition to Virolainen Sonja Leinamo and Suvi Minkkinen. Men compete Olli Hiidensalo, Otto Invenius, Jonni Mukkala, Joni Mustonen and Jaakko Ranta.
On Friday, will show the Biathlon World Cup sprint races on its channels. Men’s race from 12:25 and women’s race from 15:20.