Top Ukrainian biathlete Yuliia Dzhyma opts out of 2024 European Championships to intensify training
Biathlete Yuliia Dzhyma will not compete at the 2024 European Championships, the head coach of the Ukrainian women’s biathlon team, Mykola Zots, told public broadcaster Suspilne Sport on Jan. 9.
The Ukrainian team’s leader will be preparing for the World Championships in February under the guidance of her coach.
Read also: Historic first: Ukraine wins first-ever gold in mixed relay event at biathlon’s IBU Junior Cup
“Dzhyma and her personal trainer Uros Velepec asked me to help them implement their plan,” Zots said.
“While Petrenko, Merkushyna, and Dmytrenko skip the Ruhpolding sprint to focus on altitude training, Dzhyma wishes to forego time on the hill at this juncture. She will compete in the Ruhpolding stage and remain there until the 28th, opting to bypass the European Championships as she concentrates on preparing for the World Cup. Both Dzhyma and Velepec made this request, and I have no objection. Let us hope all proceeds smoothly.”
Her fellow biathletes, Iryna Petrenko, Anastasia Merkushyna, and Khrystyna Dmytrenko will compete at both the European Championships and the World Championships.
The European Biathlon Championships will take place on Jan. 24-28 in Brezno-Osrblie, Slovakia, and the World Championships will be held on Feb. 7-18 in Nové Město na Moravě, Czechia.
Ukraine won gold in the mixed relay at the IBU Junior Cup this season for the first time in history.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
