THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BIATHLON ...

PERSONALITIES PersönlichkeitenAnastasiYa Kuzminacompetitions.’ In the standing shooting I was morecautious. I’m pleased that so many people were thereon the course cheering me on for the 2.5K after thesecond shooting bout: my husband, our service team,and people from the Russian team. Physically I felt in topshape, and my skis were really well waxed as well. I didn’texpect to win. The only thing that wasclear to me was that Magdalena Neunerwas bound to get a medal. I neverimagined that I could win Gold with amissed target. It’s incredible.”Learned the National AnthemOnce Kuzmina had decided to live inthe land of the High Tatra Mountainsand sport its colours, she had to learnthe Slovakian National Anthem. At the2009 IBU Open European ChampionshipsU26 in Ufa, things didn’t go quiteso well for her. She only knew the firstcouple of lines. Yet when she stood onthe winner’s podium at the WhistlerMedals Plaza, the Gold medal aroundher neck, she sang every word of theSlovakian Anthem at the top of herlungs. Asked about the emotional moment,she says, “I felt like crying upthere on the podium. I feel like a Slovakian, because I’vebeen living in the country for three years. Once a personhas decided to compete for another country, he or shehas to become part of that country, feel theemotions of its people, the atmosphere.”Continuation in the PursuitAlthough the atmosphere followingher Olympic win was electric,Kuzmina quickly had toconcentrate on her nextcompetition, the Pursuit.Kuzmina started wearingbib number 1 with awrithing mass of competitorsbehind her. Yetagain, a duel arose betweenher and Neuner. Inthe end the two swappedpositions and Kuzmina wonSilver.“For me, a second place isgreat too. Before the competition Ihad the feeling I was going to swap positionswith Magdalena... her getting gold and me silver... nobut seriously, the competition was tough, both in terms ofskiing and in terms of the shooting.”My Enemy the Target The 15 km Individual is a competitionrequiring precision shooting, yet this particularday in February, Kuzmina had to compete less against theother contestants than against herself and the targets.“In skiing terms it wasn’t bad, but I’m disappointed bymy shooting. There’s no way you can get a medalwith five minutes’ penalty, no matternow hard you try. As it turns out,two days of rest are not enoughfor me to feel physically restoredand re-energized,”she explained.The situation wassimilar in the MassStart, where Kuzmina,who has a law degree,started again sportingnumber 1. In theend with three penaltyloops she came inAnastasiya Kuzminawith her sonAnastasiya Kuzminamit Ihrem SohnThe official Magazine of the IBU 20 I 2010 biathlonworld 65