For the second time in history, for the first time in 20 years, Pokljuka Plateau hosts the IBU World Championships Biathlon with a full competition programme. In 1998 Pokljuka hosted only a pursuit race of the IBU World Championships, and in 2006 the Mixed Relay of the IBU World Championships.
In 2001 Russia was the only country with a total of three gold medals at the IBU World Championships Biathlon, while the majority of the medals – seven – were won by Norway, who will now present the biggest challenge for all competitors and will be the first contender for all the victories in Pokljuka.
Russian Pavel Rostovtsev was the first name of the 2001 World Championships. He won two gold medals, in sprint and pursuit, while in women’s category Sweden’s Magdalena Forsberg picked up two gold medals after finishing first in the individual race and in the mass start race. Also worth mentioning is Norwegian Liv Grete Skjelbreid Poiree, who reached the podium position in all individual races and won gold medal in pursuit. The French were the most successful in men’s relay and Russians in women’s relay.
In Slovenian team Andreja Koblar and Tomas Globočnik recorded the best individual results at the home venue. Koblar finished seventh in the individual race, while Globočnik finished eighth in the pursuit. Both Slovenian relays were seventh. In men’s relay, Aleksander Grajf, Janez Ožbolt , Tomas Globočnik and Marko Dolenc competed, while in women’s relay Andreja Koblar, Lucija Larisi, Tadeja Brankovič-Likozar and Dijana Ravnikar represented Slovenia.
Looking closely at the medallists’ list it is clear the Championships reveals an important part of the biathlon history.
Many of them are forever inscribed amongst the greatest with golden letters. These are Norwegians Ole Einar Bjoerendalen and Halvard Hanevold, German Sven Fischer, French Raphael Poiree, Belarusian Vadim Shashurin and Finn Pavo Puurunen.
In women’s category Germans Uschi Disl and Kati Wilhelm, French Corinne Niogret, Ukrainian Olena Zubrilova, and Norwegian Liv Grete Skjelbreid Poiree are worth mentioning.
In short, an encyclopaedia of past biathlon successes.
Let’s look at the best from 2001:
– MEN
– sprint:
1. Pavel Rostovtsev (Rus)
2. Rene Cattarinussi (Ita)
3. Halvard Hanevold (Nor)
– pursuit:
1. Pavel Rostovtsev (Rus)
2. Raphael Poiree (Fra)
3. Sven Fischer (Ger)
– individual:
1. Paavo Puurunen (Fin)
2. Vadim Shashurin (Blr)
3. Ilmars Bricis (Lat)
– mass start:
1. Raphael Poiree (Fra)
2. Ole Einar Bjoerndalen (Nor)
3. Sven Fischer (Ger)
– relay, 4 x 7,5 km:
1. France (Marguet, Defrasne, Robert, Poiree)
2. Belarus (Ajdarov, Siman, Rishenkov, Shashurin)
3. Norway (Gjelland, Andersen, Hanevold, Bjoerndalen)
– WOMEN:
– sprint:
1. Kati Wilhelm (Ger)
2. Liv Grete Skjelbreid Poiree (Nor)
3. Uschi Disl (Ger)
– pursuit:
1. Liv Grete Skjelbreid Poiree (Nor)
2. Corinne Niogret (Fra)
3. Magdalena Forsberg (Swe)
– individual:
1. Magdalena Forsberg (Swe)
2. Liv Grete Skjelbreid Poiree (Nor)
3. Olena Zubrilova (Ukr)
– mass start:
1. Magdalena Forsberg (Swe)
2. Martina Glagow (Ger)
3. Liv Grete Skjelbreid Poiree (Nor)
– relay, 4x 7,5 km:
1. Russia (Pileva, Bogali, Kukleva, Ishmouratova)
2. Germany (Disl, Apel, Henkel, Wilhelm)
3. Ukraine (Zubrilova, Petrova, Lemesh, Vodopyanova)