World Cup, Oberhof 2025-01-09 14:20 (CET)
Women 7.5 Km Sprint
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World Cup, Oberhof 2025-01-09 14:20 (CET)
Women 7.5 Km Sprint
2019-04-11 08:54 |
Baiba Bendika: Always be eager to reach your mountain peaks!
Biathlon in Latvia has long been associated with the name Ilmars Bricis. Now the two-time bronze medalist of the world championships has already completed his career as an athlete, and now is bringing up a new generation of biathletes of this Baltic country. One of the most known of the new faces of the Latvian biathlon is Baiba Bendika, who has already managed to take part in flower ceremonies in the World Cup races twice. About how the past season was formed and about future plans in biathlon - in an interview with Baiba Bendiki for biathlon.com.ua.
- Baiba, how you rate the past season for you?
- I had high goals for the season, so I would rate it a 6! I had a good start with 5th place in Pokljuka, and a solid World championships, but middle part of season was hard for me, after trying to get back in shape after sickness and loosing my confidence in shooting, so there was a bit too much bad races.
- What are your plans for the next season?
- Get faster, stronger and more accuarate on shooting range, and get that step to the podium!
- What's the secret of your high results last 3 years? The results Latvia had never know!
- I work really hard, and do a lot trainings in high alltitute, so together with best coach and self analyze it’s keeps me going and getting stronger every year!
- Really, Ilmars Bricis is your personal trainer for a long time. How you would characterize him as a coach?
- First thing for sure - maximalist and hard worker, who never stops learning and trying to search new things to make the trainings more effective.
- We were very surprised by Ilmars’s returning in 2016, but 2 years later he completed again. Does he plan to return to the big biathlon again?
- That return was mostly to help Latvian team to get points for Olympic qualification for full men team. Now he is a full time coach in a good shape tho, but will not return to World cup racing.
- Tell us a little about yourself. How you come to biathlon?
- I lived in the country side, so I stepped on skis already from 4 years and when I was 9 years old, I and my brother joined biathlon group, and started training with coach my dad was training when he was young.
- How is the development of biathlon in general in Latvia now?
- There are not so much kids in biathlon as we have a lot of sports to choose from in small Latvia, but biathlon is trying to build up a good organization so you can reach the top level, and still get education and some salary trough the process.
- Thanks to you, in the Nations Cup Latvia got right to put up 2 people for the next season. In this regard, we want to ask: have your teamanyone, who canjoin to you in the World Cup races next year?
- Yes, I was really happy that some girl could join me now. We have 2 girls with world cup qualification now, Julija Matvijenko and Ieva Puce, so even they will not do full World cup season, it will be a good expierence for them to get to this level in future.
- What you can say about Ukrainian team, with whom you compete constantly? Who can stand off especially?
-Latvian team has always had good relationship with Ukrainian team as our coach Urbanovics worked with Ukraine for 4 years. I was happy about Pidruchnyi win in Ostersund, and also are impressed with your fast and good shooting girls.
- Who is your idol among biathletes? And why?
- I really love the never ending fight from Kaisa and forsure the biathlon king Ole as I grow up as a biathlete watching him winning! And ofcourse I’m trying to reach the peaks Ilmars did in his career!
- Until which moment you plan to run?
- Till next Olympics forsure and then will see how my life will go!
- Which is your main purpose in biathlon?
-Love of this sport, atmosphere and never ending fight to reach your goals.
- Describe yourself shortly! Baiba Bendika is...
- ...a hard worker with a big dreams.
-And in conclusion, your wishes to all biathlon fans!
- Always be eager to reach your mountain peaks!
Sergey Korneyev, for biathlon.com.ua
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