Russia repeats as biathlon relay champion
Zaitseva breezes to finish line for 32.8-second victory over France
Last Updated: Tuesday, February 23, 2010 | 5:26 PM ET
By Doug Harrison, CBC Sports
A jubilant Olga Zaitseva crosses the finish line giving Russia the gold medal in the women's 4x6 kilometre biathlon relay. (Andrew Medichini/Associated Press)Magdalena Neuner doesn't seem the greedy type, much to the chagrin of millions of German amateur sports fans.
The triple medal winner's decision to withdraw from the women's 4x6-kilometre biathlon relay to give her teammates a chance to taste success paved the way for Russia to dominate the 19-country field at Whistler Olympic Park on Tuesday.
Running the anchor leg, Russian Olga Zaitseva turned around twice to survey her lead, raised her right arm and blew kisses as she neared the finish line, stopping the clock at one hour, nine minutes and 36.3 seconds.
France finished second in 1:10:09.1, 32.8 seconds back, while the Germans won bronze (1:10:13.4) after finishing second to Russia at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy.
The Canadian foursome of Megan Imrie of Falcon Lake, Man., Zina Kocher of Canmore, Alta., Rosanna Crawford of Canmore and Megan Tandy of Prince George, B.C., finished 15th in 1:14:25.5 as missed shots proved costly for the young team.
Tandy, 21, described the result as "disappointing," adding most members of the team plan return to compete at the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia, if they can find funding.
The Canadian women placed 17th in the same event at the 2006 Winter Games.
French athlete misses 2 targets
The turning point in Tuesday's race came at the first shooting range of the third leg. Sitting in a prone position, France's Marie Dorin missed two targets and was forced to take two laps around the 150-metre penalty track.
That gave Russia's Olga Medvedtseva a chance to build a big lead after shooting clearly.
Well ahead of the pack at the second shooting range, the 34-year-old stood and nailed all five targets in as many shots, helping Russia to a 44.8-second advantage at the fourth and final exchange.
Zaitseva missed one and two shots, respectively, in the prone and shooting stages but wasn't fazed, given the huge lead over the competition.
Svetlana Sleptsova went 10-for-10 shooting in the opening leg for Russia, but France's Marie Laure Brunet closed the gap and opened up a 1.8-second lead over Sleptsova by the first exchange.
Dorin seemed in control until she reached the shooting range.
Neuner 'finished' with Games
Meanwhile Neuner, coming off victories in the pursuit and mass start along with the silver in the sprint in B.C., cited fatigue and stress in deciding not to compete in the relay.
"I am finished with the Olympic Games," she told reporters after winning the mass start Sunday. The 23-year-old admitted to being jaded by constant interviews, training and functions.
"It is rather stressful to be here and we have no time to enjoy it," Neuner said. "I think that the other girls are all on form and want to secure a medal."
German Simone Hauswald, a bronze medallist in the mass start, was decent at the shooting range after veteran Kati Wilhelm struggled to open the event and posted a team-best time of 17:16.2. Martina Beck and Andrea Henkel, a double gold medallist at the 2006 Olympics, skied the third and fourth legs.
