Press releases

MINSK, 23 February (BelTA) – The Russian team of Igor Shetko, Nikita Porshnev and Kirill Streltsov won the 3x7.5K Youth Men’s Relay of the ongoing IBU Youth/Junior World Championships in Raubichi, Belarus on 23 February, BelTA has learned.

The Russian biathletes finished the race in 1:04.01.2 with seven spare rounds. Second was Team Ukraine (Vitaly Trush, Nazariy Tsebrinsky and Dmitry Ivasenko), 37.7 seconds back with eight spare rounds. Norway’s Jonas Uglem Mobakken, Andreas Kjeverud Eggen and Mattis Haug were third, 2:02.5 behind with one penalty and 11 spare rounds. Team Belarus finished 7^th, 3:19.7 back with one penalty and seven spare rounds.

Pavel Poplavsky of Belarus was good on his leadoff leg. Fast running and perfect shooting made his leader after the first shooting stage. The Belarusian let two his rivals (Norwegian and Russian) pass but another good shooting session brought him his leading position back. One kilometer ahead of the first exchange Poplavsky was outran by Ukraine’s Vitaly Trush.

Igor Karpyuk tagged second, 6.4 seconds behind the leader. Third was going a biathlete from Norway. After the first shooting stage, Norway left the top three, with Belarus holding the third position, 9.0 seconds behind the Ukrainian and Russian athletes. After the standing Igor Karpyuk let two biathletes pass him and tagged fifth, 1:43.4 behind the leading Ukraine.

Russia embarked on the final leg of the race almost simultaneously with Ukraine and took the lead after the first prone. Norway returned its third position. Roman Shinkevich of Belarus was holding fifth. However, a penalty at the final shooting stage hampered Roman Shinkevich to battle for the medal.