After 10km, the current leader of the Belarusian national biathlon team was in fifth place, 38 seconds behind the leader, Nadine Horchler of Germany. However, everything changed after the first shoot in prone position, when Skardino hit every target, while her rivals were obliged to perform penalty loops. During the second prone shoot and the first from a standing position, Nadezhda again hit every target perfectly and pulled into the lead by 43 seconds.
Nadezhda Skardino shows excellent marksmanship and perfect speed
At the final shooting in prone position, Belarusian fans were on the edge of their seats, as Skardino was obliged to make two penalty loops. However, despite the extra 300m, Nadezhda managed to outstrip her rivals and finish first. Silver went to Karolin Horchler of Germany and bronze to Norwegian Ingrid Tandrevold.
Nadezhda Skardino in firing position
The President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, has congratulated Nadezhda Skardino on her victory, saying, “The many fans of the Belarusian biathlon team were looking forward to this victory. I hope that your success will inspire our athletes to have confidence in their powers before the World Championship begins.”
By Igor Leshin
