Anna Frolina (right), Korea's first-leg biathlete, tails her competitor during the BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup women's relay competition, at the Alpensia Biathlon Center in Pyeongchang, Gangwon-do Province, on March 5.
Korea's biathlon team has overcome one of the last hurdles in its race toward the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.
This past weekend, the BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup kicked off at the Alpensia Biathlon Center, running from March 3 to 5. Anna Frolina, a naturalized Korean biathlete, entered the women's sprint and pursuit competitions, placing 26th and 17th, respectively. Frolina's results in these races helped to raise Korea's rank on the women's nation cup scoreboard from 21st to 20th, paving the way to the Olympic stage.
Korea's Ekaterina Avvakumova steadies her rifle to take aim at the shooting range in the BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup women's 10 km pursuit competition, at the Alpensia Biathlon Center on March 4.
Ekaterina Avvakumova of the Korean national team also entered the women's sprint and pursuit competitions. Placing 45th in both events, she didn't perform her best, but Avvakumova was an additional pillar of strength for her team during the women's relay event. With Frolina as the first-leg biathlete, followed by Avvakumova, Mun Ji-Hee and Park Ji-Ae, the women's relay team crossed the finish line in 20th place.
Compared to the 2015-2016 season, the women's national team has now jumped five places on the women's world cup relay scoreboard, landing in the No. 20 spot.
Team Korea's Timofey Lapshin (right) taps Kim Yonggyu, the team's third skier, in the BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup men's relay competition, at the Alpensia Biathlon Center on March 5.
Timofey Lapshin of the Korean men's team was the front runner for the men's sprint competition on March 4, but the paperwork for his Korean citizenship only came through one day before the race and so he missed his chance to compete. The following day, Lapshin joined his teammates in the men's relay competition as the second skier.
Joined by Kim Jongmin, Kim Yonggyu and Jun Je-Uk, Team Korea crossed the finish line in 20th place, beating their current place by winning the 25th spot on the men's world cup relay scoreboards.
Much depends on the results of the season's last two world cups, one taking place in Finland on March 12 and the other in Norway on March 17. If the Korean national team secures their spot in the top 20, Korea will qualify to send four athletes to the PyeongChang Olympics. Countries in the 21st and 22nd rank will be given two places to fill with athletes on its team.
By Lee Hana
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han, Korea.net Photographer
hlee10@korea.kr
Korea's Kim Yonggyu speeds through the men's relay course at the BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup, at the Alpensia Biathlon Center on March 5.
Ekaterina Avvakumova clears her targets in the shooting range and slings her rifle on her back during the BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup women's pursuit competition, at the Alpensia Biathlon Center on March 4.
Mun Ji-Hee races the course as the third skier for Team Korea in the BMW IBU Biathlon World Cup women's relay competition, at the Alpensia Biathlon Center on March 5.