The sprint is exactly the discipline Yefremova was counting on. The Ukrainian runs well, but there were real concerns about Liliia's shooting, as she is not always accurate at the firing range. But Thursday, February 16, became Liliia Yefremova's day. The Ukrainian shot without misses in the first prone shooting. At the second firing range, Yefremova put her first three shots one after another into the target and, taking a breath, closed two more targets. This was already a real bid for a medal.
The only one of the Ukrainian's rivals who could spoil our mood was Norway's Liv Grete Poirée, but at the last firing range she made a miss and lost her chances for a medal.
On the home stretch, Yefremova was already genuinely competing for a medal, which turned out to be bronze. She fell just a moment short of silver, or more precisely 2.4 seconds, and gold was six seconds away. However, Yefremova gave it her all and after the finish she collapsed from exhaustion as if cut down.
Olena Petrova also had a chance for a better result in the sprint, but two misses at the last shooting pushed her to 44th place at the finish. Oksana Khvostenko finished the race in 49th place and Nina Lemesh in 50th.
Ahead for the biathletes are the pursuit race and the relay.
Biathlon. 7.5 km sprint. Women. 1. Florence Robert-Bavarel (France) - 22:31.4 (0 misses) 2. Anna Olofsson (Sweden) - +2.4 (1) 3. LILIIA YEFREMOVA (UKRAINE) - +6.6 (0) ...44. OLENA PETROVA (UKRAINE) - +2:20.8 (2) ...49. OKSANA KHVOSTENKO (UKRAINE) - +2:38.7 (1) ...50. NINA LEMESH (UKRAINE) - +2:42.1 (2).