Before going to the XXV Winter Olympic Games in Italy, the biathletes of Talsa region – Renārs Birkentāls, Rihards Lozbers, the head coach of the men’s national team Kārlis Vanags and representative of the technical staff Reinis Korsūnovs – met with the management of the municipality of Talsa region at a reception.
The chairman of the municipal council of Talsi region, Ansis Bērziņš, accompanying the biathletes of Talsi region, wished: «We are proud of the current and former students and coaches of the sports school of Talsi region, for their will power and ability to achieve high goals! We wish you success and achievements on the way to the golden peaks! The main thing is to hit the target and let the skis slide fast!”
Difficulties in providing equipment
At the reception to the chairman of the council, the members of the team talked about the difficulties with providing equipment, as well as the specifics of biathlon and their impressions of the competition. Undoubtedly, the opportunity to participate in the Olympic Games is highly anticipated and a high achievement. Richard has 14 sets of pairs of skis, Renard – about 40, which shows that the weather, snow structure and other factors play a big role. Currently, the sports equipment is satisfactory. Rihards Lozbers studies with good results in the 10th grade of Talsa 2nd secondary school and says with a smile that after his return he will have to “break up” his studies and will probably have to study in the summer as well.
In the men’s biathlon team, the most advanced athlete this season is Renārs Birkentāls, who in January became the sixth Latvian to break into the TOP 10 at the World Cup stage. The ninth place he won gave the man from Tallinn the opportunity to participate in the distance with a joint start for the first time. “Renārs, together with Reina and other Latvian biathletes, is currently in a training camp in a high mountain, and the Latvian team will arrive at the home of the Olympic Games on the last day of January. On the other hand, the young talent of the Latvian national team, Rihards Lozbers, proved himself at the European Championship in biathlon for juniors, where the student of the Talsu District Sports School won two bronze medals, thus the 16-year-old youth got a ticket to the Olympic Games,” reveals Inga Priede, head of the Public Relations Department of the Talsi District Municipality.
The Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics will open in Milan on February 6 and conclude in Verona on February 22.
/Publicity photo/
