"We're not losing much to the world leaders with our moves."
January 17, the fourth stage of the Commonwealth Cup Biathlon starts. This is one of the two main tournaments for Russian and Belarusian biathletes during their suspension from international competitions after February 2022. Many new names have emerged during this time. One of them is Kirill Bazhin, the 2020 Junior World Champion in the relay. In the current season, he celebrated victories in the singles mixed at the first stage of the Russian Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk and sprint at the third stage in Izhevsk, as well as bronze last weekend at the fourth stage in Ryazan.
In an interview with Izvestia, the 26-year-old athlete assessed his performance this season, shared his opinion on the chances of our biathletes to qualify for the Olympics-2026 in Italy, and also explained what is unusual about the track in Ryazan and what he will need to improve on in order to perform successfully at the World Cup after returning there.
- Are you satisfied with your results after the New Year?
- Of course, I am satisfied. There are some small nuances that we will work on. The same pursuit race in Ryazan, where we managed to take bronze, was a fast race, where we had to shoot faster. I lacked a little bit somewhere, but the most important thing is that I managed the "lay-up" (shooting from the lying position - Ed.). Now we will improve our standing shooting.
- How do you assess your performance in general this season?
- We are still just getting into this season. I am not an exception. We have done a lot of work during the preparatory period. This work did not allow us to accelerate at the beginning of the season, to show good speeds. Now we have digested it all, during the New Year break we went to the mountains, where we also trained well. And the condition has improved. Therefore, I think, everyone will reach their optimal form closer to the decisive start of the season.
- Can we say that in this way we are modeling the situation in case the Russians will be admitted to the Olympics next season? To gain maximum form just in time for the Games in Italy in February?
- Yes, we are preparing for two seasons - this season and the next, during which the Olympics will be held next year. In any case, in a year from now the main starts for us will be in February - either the Olympics or some alternative competitions. We are preparing for them - because of this we have such a block in the form of preparation for two seasons.
- So you haven't given up hope to qualify for the next Olympics?
- Yes, of course. We do not know what will happen tomorrow. We live for today. Tomorrow, maybe we will be told: "Everyone, let's go to the world - we have to run". We have to be ready for that. And since coaches always have a four-season block in their preparation - the Olympic cycle - there is always more extensive training in some of these seasons, and in some - competitive training.
- Do you follow the World Cup stages? What do our biathletes need to improve in order to fight for medals in case they return there?
- In the speed of shooting. In principle, at the stage of the Russian Cup in Ryazan many of our guys showed themselves well on the firing line - just in terms of shooting speed. Even compared to the World Cup. And the Russian national team seems to be getting better in this respect. That's good, because at first we'll lose the most in the firing line. It will take some time to get up to the world leaders in this component. In terms of running, I think we are not losing to them by much.
- So the suspension from international competitions didn't affect your ski training much?
- No, it didn't. We still compete among ourselves. Especially this year we have quite European weather - it's probably even a bit more comfortable there than we have here now. So we compete in good conditions - everything is fine.
- Was it hard for you morally to go through the ban, taking into account that at the beginning of 2022 you had already achieved decent success at junior international competitions and were approaching your debut at the World Cup?
- I was probably doubly offended, because I had qualified for the IBU Cup. And I was supposed to go to one of the stages, but two days before the trip we were closed. And we didn't go anywhere. It was very frustrating. But now we have a good level of competitions inside Russia. There is a big team - you can see that we have 10-15 people who compete with each other. In every race someone changes in the leading positions. And we have someone to follow and take an example from.
- In this sense, do domestic competitions compensate for the lack of international competitions in any way?
- Because I had no experience of adult international competitions, I take domestic competitions more seriously than Edik Latypov and Antokha Smolsky. Because it is clear that for them it is not the same motivation as for me. In any case, you can always find something interesting at our competitions. For example, the track in Ryazan, which is very unusual because it is almost all flat.
- Do you like it?
- Of course, when there are more relief tracks, it is more interesting. But in Ryazan there is an interesting specificity - it is very hard to win something back, to beat someone by a move. Everything is decided on the shooting, how long you stay on the firing line.
- Are you practicing shooting?
- Yes. Since we run on the plain in Ryazan, we have maximum heart rates on this very track. This gives us an opportunity to shoot in the most difficult conditions. After all, you run without stopping. You run for 20 minutes in a row almost at your limit.
- Taking into account that in December our swimmers, figure skaters, speed skaters started to be admitted to international starts, do you believe that soon it will affect biathletes who will go to the Olympics?
- Frankly speaking, the chances of going to the Olympics are very small. Even if we are admitted to international starts, the most deplorable thing is that probably only two people will go.
- Because Russia will lose quotas because it has not participated for three years?
- Yes, a lot will depend on our sports management and the SIS. On how they will agree on the procedure for admitting Russian biathletes. At least, we need at least four people at the Olympics to have a lineup for the relay.
- How long will these problems with quotas last if our officials don't agree on them?
- If we are admitted to the next Olympics, the problems will be only with it. And then we will return to the World Cup, compete there and restore our maximum representation quite quickly.
