“It’s always an honor to represent my country and especially at home in front of our fans, it will certainly be a great championship. But now I’m focusing all my attention on the biathlon, in which the world championship awaits me these days, and frankly, I can’t imagine completing two such demanding events in such a short time sequence. Thank you for your understanding,” Lampičová explained her decision on social networks.
Ola Vigen Hattestad, the Norwegian coach of the Slovenian cross-country team, did not hide his disappointment at her decision. “It’s a shame, we really wanted to have her on the team again,” he sighed. After Lampičová’s departure to biathlon Slovenia, the running ace is desperately missing.
A question mark over Lampičová’s start has been hanging over Oberhof for a long time. Last month at the SP in Anterselva, she was overcome by fever and it was not clear whether she would be fit for the start of the WC. In the end, however, the 27-year-old competitor, who drew attention to herself already in December during the premiere in the elite series with a small-bore rifle on her back with a fifth place in Hochfilzen and repeated the same position in the sprint in Anterselva, will not be absent from the championship.
“However, the lack of training will probably show, don’t expect miracles from me,” Lampičová inhibits premature optimism. In order to save energy for individual races, she will not, like her much more experienced national team colleague Jakov Fak, who is also returning from illness, start in Wednesday’s mixed relay.
So far, the native of Ljubljana has been unable, with some exceptions, to successfully combine the expected speed in the white track with the results on the shooting range due to her minimal experience with shooting so far, but she is working hard on her handicap. “I now want to use every moment, every second to learn and keep improving,” Slovenian media quoted her as saying.
