BiathlonBeijing 2022
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The thirty-year-old Russian broke the bank in the 20 km of Anterselva, but is not among the five selected for the upcoming Olympic Games. From one of the highest moments of his career ... to the bench, as one would say in other sports and an Olympics that will probably remain just a dream.
Thursday 20 January 2022 4 minutes reading time
It could have been his second Olympics after Pyeongchang, lived in the "prime" of his career: a second youth found suddenly with lightning in Anterselva, after years spent commuting between Ibu Cup and World Cup, in a very Russian system. complicated and often incomprehensible.
Anton Babikov won in the 20 km of Anterselva putting behind him an athlete of the caliber of Tarjei Boe and fellow countryman Khalili: second career victory after the one obtained over five years ago in the Oestersund Pursuit, when he won ahead of teammate Tsvetkov.
And it will be Tsvetkov himself to go to Beijing 2022, where Anton will not be there. In recent days, the Russians have in fact announced the five squads for the Chinese Olympics: Alexander Loginov, Eduard Latypov, Daniil Serokhvostov, Karim Khalili and Maxim Tsvetkov, with Babikov and Alexander Povarnitsyn in the role of reserves.
And in Russia it is already controversy. If Latypov and Loginov were already sure of their place thanks to the podiums obtained this season, as well as the young Serokhvostov and Khalili (today on the first podium in their career), to be launched towards the future, the run-off for fifth place was between Babikov and Tsevtkov , with the thirty-year-old from Vologda preferred to his rival after the 9th place in the Pursuit of Ruhpolding, in which Anton did not take part after a Sprint to forget closed in 71st place.
Babikov still hopes to be in Beijing, especially in a situation like the current one, where every day positive Covid-19 emerges and there are few certainties. The greatest hope? Eduard Latypov, who has not yet returned to the race after quarantine. His presence in Relay and Mass on Saturday is uncertain and he will certainly not be able to go to China with the team. And above all, how will your physical condition be after three weeks off?
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