On Sunday, the Lithuanian portal “Delfi.lt” reported that the country’s leading biathlete Toms Kauken has been infected with Covid-19. Kaukēns trained with Latvia’s leading biathlete Baiba Bendika.
The portal reported that both Bendika and coach Ilmārs Bricis had been diagnosed with the virus, but on Monday, Bendika also confirmed this information to the portal “Sportacentrs.com”.
In a conversation with LETA, Bricis explained that the course of the disease is easy for both Latvian representatives, and if there was an opportunity to start in the competition, Bendika would most likely use it as well. Now it is to be hoped that the season will start next week. The second stage of the World Cup is expected on December 3, but the upcoming stage will have to be missed this week.
“I and Baiba had nothing serious,” revealed the experienced Bricis, noting that no other representative of Latvia was infected with the virus. “In the last few weeks, both of them had a fever at the beginning of the day and a half. You can feel that the current readiness is not 100% for everyone, but it is not extraordinary.”
“On November 27, we will perform repeated tests, but the organizers of the competition here comply with one of the strictest requirements. In order to participate in the competition, Baibai must be able to pass a negative Covid-19 test.”
Bricis discovered that Kaukēns lives in Sweden separately from Latvians, so the disease was most likely transmitted during training.
The start of the World Cup season is scheduled for this weekend in the Finnish city of Kontiolahti. Competitions in individual distances are planned for Saturday, but a day later there will be a sprint.
The second stage of the World Cup is planned right in Kontiolahti.
