MIXED RELAYS WON BY NORWEGIAN AND SWEDISH TEAMS. ONDŘEJ MORAVEC STARTED INTO HIS LAST RACE
Precise shooting, fast running – and the Norwegian mixed relays team left the rest of the world behind. The Norwegian quartet – Tiril Eckhoff, Marte Roiseland-Olsbu, Tarjei Boe and Johannes Thingnes Boe set the pace of the relays race 4 × 6km from the very first metres. Norwegians, who are generally difficult beat in running, were sharp shooters today: their result, 0+4, was the best from all 25 teams. They crossed the finish line more than one minute ahead Italians. The bronze was taken by Swedish team.
Single mixed relays race was dramatic until the very end. The victory went to Lina Persson and Sebastian Samuelsson of Sweden, who fought for the gold with the Norwegian duo consisting of Ingrid Tandrevold and Sturla Holm Legreid, and decided in the last metres only. The Swede was obviously stronger in the finish than the Norwegian surprise of the season. Third place went to American team.
Czech teams failed mainly in the shooting range: the quartet comprising Jessica Jislová, Markéta Davidová, Mikuláš Karlík and Michal Krčmář finished 11th, having the score of 1+17.
Mixed singles were watched very closely as this was going to be the last race for Ondřej Moravec, who raced with Lucie Charvátová.
At the first section, Lucie reminded everyone of Ondřej early years: in the 2008/2009 season, Ondřej had missed all five targets with eight bullets in World Cup event in Vancouver. And Lucie did exactly the same… Moreover, Ondřej also had to take a penalty loop in his last race. The second section was way better for Czechs, and they managed to get ahead, jumping to 17th place from the very last place.
Thanks to this, Ondřej had time to “highfive” with his teammates. Thanks! But the greatest surprise waited for Ondřej behind the finish line as his wife Veronika and his children – Rozárka and Ondřej Jr. – were waiting there! “I had not cried like this for quite some time, it was really very surprising! I had not expected to have to race that hard; the first half of the race was bad, and we had to give all we had to achieve what we have.” Two last shootings by Ondřej were flawless!
Ondřej Moravec
Born June 9, 1984
396 races in aggregate in World Cup (incl. WCH and OG 2006 and 2010). OG 2014 and 2018 were not considered into World Cup – further 12 starts.
Achievements
Olympics
2014 – Sochi
2nd pursuit race
2nd mixed relays race
3rd mass start
World Championships
1st mixed relays race, Kontiolahti 2015
2nd mass start, Kontiolahti 2015
2nd individual race, Hochfilzen 2017
3rd mixed relays race, NMNM 2013
3rd individual race, Kontiolahti 2015
3rd mixed relays race, Anterselva 2020
World Cup
1st mass start, Oslo 2013
Author: Tomáš Hermann
Photo: Michal Jilka
