It is now Olena Petrova in the front ranks of the Ukrainian biathlon team
after the triumph the biathlete Olena Zubrylova on the fields of Germany,
where she won two gold and two bronze medals in World Cup third and fourth
rounds.
In the fifth round in Italy, Ms. Petrova, Olympic silver medalist, ran
fast in the sprint, but, alas, came in only third, giving way to rivals
from France and Norway.
Incidentally, another two Ukrainian athletes found themselves among
the top ten in the second race: Olena Zubrylova, who finished sixth (she
ranks fifth overall scoring), and Nina Lemesh immediately after her.
Ms. Zubrylova won the prestigious competition being held as part of
the 1999 Biathlon Trophy World Cup. After three rounds in Oberhoff, Rupolding
and Antholz, she scored 186 points and earned DM 10,000 in prize money.
Second was German Uschi Diesl (172 points and DM 7,000), followed by Corinne
Niogret, France (164 points and DM 5,000).
By Oleksandr HONCHARUK, Serhiy MAKHUN, The Day
23-year-old student at the National University of Physical Culture Valentyna
Shevchenko of Kyiv has become the chief heroine of the Nineteenth University
Games, winning the 15-km race on January 29. Now she has three gold and
one bronze medals in her pocket. Also high on the list was the men's biathlon
team which came second in the 4 x 7.5-km relay, while the women finished
fourth in the 3 x 7.5-km relay. Many grandees of world ice-hockey were
literally stunned by the Ukrainian national team's performance. Our boys,
who, contrary to common sense and sporting principles, were forced to play
a second match with the Canadians, this time won three to nothing in spite
of very biased calls by the Slovak referee. The logic is simple. The Slovaks,
having beaten the Czechs, will play in the finals and do not want to meet
Ukraine there. But they will have to.
By Valentyn SHCHERBACHOV from Slovakia, special to The
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