Leading biathlete Dmitry Malyshko has been dropped from the Russian squad for Saturday’s sprint at the World Biathlon Championships in Germany, officials said Friday.
Malyshko was praised Wednesday by coach Valery Polkhovsky, who picked him as one of Russia’s two male athletes in Friday’s mixed relay, but has not made the four-man sprint squad, according to the Russian Biathlon Union website.
Evgeny Ustyugov won an individual gold in the 15 kilometer mass start in Vancouver in 2010, and picked up bronze in the relay with teammate Anton Shipulin.
Both are in the sprint squad, alongside Andrei Makoveev and Evgeny Garanichev, who have each won one an individual stage of the World Cup.
Russia finished fifth in the mixed relay, which was won by Norway, with Slovenia second and Germany third, following a controversial finish involving a malfunctioning target and unexpected time penalties.
