March 17, 2010   (Whistler, BC) – Another day, another Russian sweep as they took all three top positions as well as eighth place. Irek Zaripov won his third gold with a time of 42:22:4 – 100% of his time was used as real time as his injury, classified as LW12 meant that he had the maximum amount of ability within his category. Team mate Vladimir Kiselev, also classified as 100% was 7.5 seconds back while Roman Petushkov finished the troika off taking the bronze 11.4 seconds back. Zaripov and Kiselev each missed one shot while Petushkov missed two.

American Andy Soule in fourth spent nearly as much time patiently answering questions from media around the world as an Afghanistan war veteran and double amputee after a bomb blew his legs off as he did racing. Soule, who also is classified in the maximum ability category, and therefore had his real time as his finish time shot clean, but was 3:03:8 minutes back of the phenomenal Russian train. Lou Gibson, the only other North American was 18th, 7:16:4 minutes back.

“Russia has always been a strong team. We didn’t have any problems while training. A strong country. Strong guys. The medals are a result of all this hard work,” said Zaripov of the Russian domination of the Games. “I feel joy, happiness. It’s unbelievable. It’s unforgettable. I can’t believe that I did it,” he added about his gold medal performance. “Today I want to dedicate this medal to my son and my mother.”

“These are really, really great athletes,” said Soule after his race. “I made a couple of skiing mistakes out there, and it cost me a few seconds, but it happens,” he said contemplatively. “Yes, I have mixed feelings [with fourth place], but it’s not going to happen today.”

Men’s results here http://www.vancouver2010.com/paralympic-games/biathlon/schedule-and-results/mens-12.5-km–sitting_btm212101pSe.html

Women’s 10km Biathlon Sitting

The women’s race took place in windy wet snowy conditions – very difficult when it comes to shooting, not to mention double poling up hills on slushy, slow snow. Once again it was a Russian, Maria Iovleva who took the gold with one shot missed, and in a time of 38:46:6. Olena Iurkovska of the Ukraine was the silver medalist. She actually had a faster course time, but missed two shots, finishing 21 seconds back. The bronze medalist went to Andrea Eskau of Germany, who also missed two shots, and finished 1:08:0 minutes back.

Fourth place went to the Ukraine’s Lyudmyla Pavlenko, who missed two shots and was 1:25:7 minutes back, while fifth went to Russia’s Irina Polyakova, who also missed two shots and was 2:09:9 minutes back. Russia had three competitors while the Ukraine had five. Eskau was represented the only other country. There were no North Americans in this event.

As reporters and a Russian sign language translator gathered to interview Iovleva, who is also deaf, her coach controlled her wheelchair right past refusing to allow her to stop, despite her obvious delight with the gold medal. Iurkovska said she was “a little bit disappointed because I was going to win the gold medal if I didn’t miss a mark while shooting. It was too windy. I don’t feel I did very well in this race. I didn’t do enough to win a gold medal.”

Bronze medalist Eskau was elated over her achievement. “Finally a medal. I felt very good. I have more than I ever dreamed of, a medal. I’ve trained for so long. Women versus women competing. It’s great.” She thanked the German team for excellent assistance. “My preparation was having a good start. I had less to do than the others. I know my skis are so good and fast. I was so fast in the downhill, I was going faster than the men. I tried not to brake. Sometimes you get too anxious and think, ‘Oh shit.’ It’s really hard.”

Women’s results here http://www.vancouver2010.com/paralympic-games/biathlon/schedule-and-results/womens-10-km–sitting_btw212101pUB.html