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Russian biathlete grabs World Cup lead
Published: 09 January, 2010, 17:21
Edited: 10 January, 2010, 07:30
Evgeny Ustyugov of Russia
TAGS: Sport, Winter sports
Russian Evgeny Ustyugov has made it to the top of the overall standings of the biathlon World Cup after winning the sprint event in Oberhof, Germany, on Saturday.
Ustyugov now shares first spot with Tim Burke of the US, who finished 19th, as both biathletes have 283 points.
Despite the extremely gusty conditions and three missed targets in the range, Ustyugov set a time of 28 minutes 45.0 seconds for the 10 kilometers.
It was the second career World Cup gold in the 10km pursuit for the 24-year-old as he triumphed at Pokljuka, Slovenia, in December.
Three-time Olympic champ Michael Greis of Germany ended up in second place, 2.8 seconds behind, after two penalty loops.
The perfect shooting of Sweden's Carl Johan Bergman allowed him to finish third, 8.2 seconds adrift of the winner.
08.01.2010, 20:14
3 comments
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This is a punishing sport. During the Cold War, I once asked a coworker from Minnesota why the Russians nearly always beat us Americans at all these kinds of sports. Were Russians stronger, smarter, tougher, more disciplined, brainwashed, more confident, better coached, better trained, drugged, afraid that they would get shot if they lost, all some sort of communist fanatics, what? Why did they nearly always beat us at the Olympics and elsewhere at this icy stuff? Yes, I was often frustrated near the end of the Cold War. Laughing, he said, "Bill, it's like Canada. Russia is iced over for half the year. Winter sports to them, are like baseball or football to us." Then, thankfully, I finally understood. I still think of that guy whenever I watch my favorite Bond film with the the biathlon chase, one of the best ones, 'For Your Eyes Only.' And the Olympics are next month in Canada. And next in 2014 in Russia, I think. Just thinking about that kind of training makes me tired.