Truth and myth about Moldovan biathlon

Lately, Moldovan biathlon has been on the main agenda of news dedicated to the national sport. There are regular reports about both sports competitions and various activities and projects initiated by the Biathlon Federation of the Republic of Moldova and its president, Dmitry Torner. As a result, many long-held opinions about Moldovan biathlon have changed or been updated. Below, we have selected five of the most widespread stereotypes on the subject and confronted them with reality.

Myth No. 1. Moldovan biathlon does not have its own athletes, only naturalized ones 

The reality. In fact, 6 juniors (a.n. 2002-2008) who were born, grew up and trained in Moldova are playing for the national team. The senior national team is made up of 7 naturalized athletes, but they hold not only Moldovan citizenship but also Moldovan residence visas. In order to create a truly "Moldovan" national team, the national federation has initiated the NEXTGEN project, which runs free biathlon sections for children.

Myth No. 2. Biathlon is an exclusively winter sport

The Reality. There is also summer biathlon, with the first World Championship taking place in 1996 in Austria. This is a variety of biathlon where the cross-country skiing race is replaced with a running distance, roller skiing, a cycling lap, or any other mode of transportation characteristic of the summer season. Furthermore, Moldova has had several successes in summer biathlon; for example, biathlete Alexandra Camenșcic, the head coach of the NEXTGEN project for children (https://www.biathlon-moldova.md/ro/nextgen), is a European champion and a multiple medalist at other international summer biathlon competitions. In addition, Natalia Levcencova (2009) and Larisa Timchina (1997) won two bronze medals for Moldova at the Summer Biathlon World Championships.

Myth No. 3. In biathlon, weapons are used, so training for children is dangerous

The Reality. For about 15 years, professional athletes have been using new digital technologies in the field of firearms during their training, and since 2018, children have primarily used laser rifles for training. Currently, the Biathlon Federation of the Republic of Moldova possesses 10 laser guns that are provided to children for training under the NEXTGEN project. These rifles are certified as "toys," ensuring complete safety.

Myth No. 4. The Moldovan team does not achieve notable results or victories

The Reality. In fact, even in the last two years, Moldova has won several medals in biathlon. For instance, Alina Stremous became the European champion in the pursuit race in 2022 and is also a double continental vice-champion in the individual race (2022, 2024). Two other representatives of the Moldovan national team, Pavel Magazeev and Maxim Makarov, regularly rank in the TOP-30 and TOP-20 of the best biathletes at the stages of the World Cup organized by the International Biathlon Union (IBU).

Myth No. 5. Moldovan biathletes have fewer victories than athletes in other sports 

The Reality. Undoubtedly, biathlon is considered one of the most competitive sports. In the largest international biathlon competitions, athletes participate in eight (!) types of races with multiple shooting sessions using small-caliber rifles. Additionally, due to the large number of competitors, a participation cap is established for different types of championships. For example, after the qualifying race, only the top 60 athletes are allowed to start in the pursuit race. This means that each athlete has 59 competitors at the same time.

At the IBU Cup, for example, around 140-160 biathletes often participate, sometimes up to 180. For the World Championships, there is a limit of 108 competitors, and for the World Cup – 116. In these competitions, there are no quarter-finals, semi-finals, or stages that would reduce the number of opponents, as is the case in other sports disciplines.

Thus, the value of a medal in biathlon is significantly greater compared to other events, as it can only be achieved under conditions of fierce competition, alongside hundreds of rivals. Therefore, Moldova can be proud not only of the achievements of our athletes but also of Natalia Levcencova's honorable 8th place at the 2006 Olympic Games, as well as Alina Stremous's 10th place at the 2022 Olympics.