Sunday, January 26, 2014

Sochi 2014: The Countdown Series: Biathlon Preview

12 days remaining until the opening ceremonies (11 until the first day of competition) at Sochi 2014. Up next on the countdown: biathlon preview.


Per IBU's quota, 34 nations will have at least one quota spot in at least one of eleven biathlon events at Sochi.

There have been various changes of the event over the years, but it doesn't stop a lot of history from being made. On the men's side, there has been only one multiple winner of the 10km: Ole Einar Bjorndalen (Norway), who won that event at Nagano 1998 and Salt Lake City 2002. The pursuit had three different winners, including the most recent--Bjorn Ferry (Sweden) at Vancouver 2010. The 15km mass start had two different winners in the two Olympics the event has been held: Michael Greis (Germany, at Turin 2006) and Yevgeny Ustyugov (Russia, at Vancouver). Magnar Solberg (Norway) is the only multiple winner of the 20km; he won at Grenoble 1968 and Sapporo 1972. Last but not least, the Soviets have the record for most 4x7.5km wins with 6 (Grenoble, Sapporo, Innsbruck 1976, Lake Placid 1980, Sarajevo 1984 and Calgary 1988).

On the women's side, the 7.5km sprint has six different winners including the most recent, Anastasia Kuzmina (Russia), who won the event at Vancouver. The 10km pursuit had three different winners, including Magdalena Neuner (Germany), who won that event at Vancouver. There had been two different winners of the 12.5km mass start: Anna Carin Olofsson Zidek (Sweden) at Turin, and Neuner at Vancouver. Also in the different winners category is the 15km individual, where there have been six different winners of the event. The most recent was Tora Berger (Norway) at Vancouver. Russia is the only winner of the 4x6km relay at both Turin and Vancouver.

Bjorndalen has the most individual gold in the Olympic biathlon at six (amongst men, of course), while Kati Wilhelm (Germany) has three, the most among women in the event, individually.

The mixed biathlon will make its Olympic debut at Sochi, where the venue is the Laura Biathlon and Ski Complex (above, pictured).

Up next: cross country preview

No comments:

Post a Comment