MOSCOW, March 16 (RIA Novosti) - Olga Zaitseva and Olga Vilukhina are ill and will miss Friday’s sprint at the final biathlon World Cup round in Khanty-Mansiisk, tthe Russian Biathlon Union said Friday.
Double Olympic gold medalist Zaitseva leads the Russian women’s team, and is the 12th most successful female World Cup biathlete of all time.
Vilukhina was the only Russian woman to win a medal at a disappointing showing at the world championships in Germany this month, picking up her first medal at a major championships with bronze in the pursuit.
“Olga Zaitseva has a cold. The training staff of the Russian team decided not to enter Zaitseva in the event,” the Russian Biathlon Union said on its website.
Vilukhina also has a cold, national team coach Valery Polkhovsky said.
“Unfortunately, Olga won’t be able to take part in the sprint today because of a cold,” he said on the federation’s website.
Zaitseva will be replaced for the sprint by 2010 Olympic relay gold medalist Anna Bogaly-Titovets, while 2011 junior world and European champion Alexandra Alikina will take Vilukhina’s place.
