Press releases

Olympics 2026: Belarus’ Karaliova 34th in skiathlon

MINSK, 7 February (BelTA) - Belarusian cross-country skier Hanna Karaliova placed 34th in the first race of the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Italy, BelTA has learned.

Seventy athletes started the women’s 10+10 km skiathlon. After the first half of the distance using the classic technique, Hanna was in 35th place; on the second part of the course going freestyle, she moved up one spot and ultimately finished 34th, six minutes behind the leader. Gold went to Sweden’s Frida Karlsson, with her fellow compatriot Ebba Andersson taking silver and Norway’s Heidi Weng taking bronze.

The 2026 Olympics is the first games for Hanna Karaliova. The Belarusian will compete in the women’s sprint classic on 10 February, and in the women’s 10km interval start free on 12 February. Her career-best World Cup finish is 33rd place, achieved last month in a mass start race in Italy.

Today at 18:00 Minsk time, Belarusian speed skater Marina Zueva will compete in the 3,000m event. In the coming days, the Games will feature Belarusian athletes Viktoriia Safonova (figure skating), Maria Shkanova (alpine skiing), Hanna Huskova, Anna Derugo, and Anastasiya Andryianava (aerials). The XXV Winter Olympic Games will be running till 22 February.

‘The race turned out to be very dynamic’. Belarusian Hanna Karaliova on her Olympic debut

MINSK, 8 February (BelTA) - Skier Anna Koroleva shared her impressions of her Olympic debut and summed up her first race in Italy, BelTA learned from the press service of the National Olympic Committee (NOC).

In the women's 10+10km skiathlon, Belarusian skier Hanna Karaliova placed 34th out of 70 participants, finishing six minutes behind the winner, Sweden's Frida Karlsson. This race marked Hanna's Olympic debut.

“The race was very dynamic. I liked the atmosphere: there were lots of spectators along the entire course, forming live corridors. The conditions were quite challenging. It had been raining for several days in a row, and at +6°C, the track deteriorates significantly. You had to ski through slush, which is very dangerous and tough, especially on descents. Overall, I’m satisfied with my performance, though I don’t enjoy racing on such a track,” Hanna Karaliova said. “During the period of suspension, competition has grown stronger. Everyone is improving, but we are also making progress. We are gradually adapting to these conditions, to this snow. It's faster here than in Russia. We need to adapt.”

The athlete also thanked Belarusian fans for their support and promised to give her all to perform at her best in the remaining races. “I train twice a day. In my free time, I try to rest and recover. I also try to stay in touch with my family during these breaks, because support is so important on days like these. I want to thank all my loved ones and all of Belarus for watching and cheering. It means a lot,” she said.

Hanna Karaliova is due to compete in the classic sprint qualification on 10 February and in the individual start race on 12 February.