At the end of autumn, the new season of the Biathlon World Cup starts from the stage in Kontiolahti. For well-known reasons, we will not see athletes representing the Russian national team at the competitions, but we may well notice familiar names under the flags of other countries. One of the contenders for the change of sports citizenship is the famous Russian biathlete Daria Virolainen.

The daughter of the famous Olympic champion Anfisa Reztsova recently began performing at the Finnish Summer Biathlon Championships, finishing second in the individual race. Probably, Daria will show up under the flag of Suomi for the upcoming World Cup.

However, the mother of the biathlete thinks differently!

“She still has a chance to run”

Virolainen’s career in biathlon is not replete with a scattering of medals and high-profile victories: she has only two personal podiums at the World Cup stages, bronze and gold at the European Championships, several medals at the Russian Championships and Universiades. The 33-year-old athlete missed last season due to pregnancy.

Daria Virolainen / Photo: © RIA Novosti / Andrey Anosov / SBR

In 2007, Daria married Belarusian skier Roman Virolainen and has already given birth to three sons. In recent years, she has been living with her family in Finland, having received the citizenship of this country. After the removal of Russian athletes from international competitions, it became clear that a biathlete could change her sports citizenship. This was confirmed by her former mentor Leonid Myakishev:

– She has been living there with them (with her family) for a long time, she has already received citizenship, so she will probably run for Finland. Yes, if she has the strength, she will play for this team starting from the new season. Dasha had a baby this year, so she had not trained before. Of course, she still has the opportunity to run, ”Match TV quotes the coach.

“She will perform when Russia is opened”

After participating in the Finnish championship and the statement of the coach, Virolainen did not give comments, but her mother, multiple Olympic champion in biathlon and skiing Anfisa Reztsova, answered the question about the future of the athlete.

– Dasha is a citizen of Finland, and this is normal. She has the right to play for both Finland and Russia. Need to decide? You see, while the Russians are not allowed to participate in international competitions, she tries to train there. She is smart. Where will she perform next? I think nowhere. She will perform when our Russia is opened. And Russia will be allowed. I liked the way Klebo spoke, so I hope that our skiers and biathletes will be allowed into the international arena, ”Reztsova said in an interview with Match TV.

Will Virolainen enter international competitions under the flag of Finland, it will become known soon. The inclusion of even far from the most eminent biathlete in their ranks can increase Suomi’s chances for a medal in the same relay at the World Cup. After the end of Kaisa Mäkäräinen’s career, awards for Finnish athletes have become a rarity. And the help of the experienced Finnish national team Virolainen will certainly not hurt. So the choice is for Daria.