The experienced biathlete Bricis, who has been working as a coach for several years, was confirmed on Tuesday by a unanimous decision of the LBF board.
“The head coach of the team must be given the authority to deal with administrative issues on the ground during the World Cup stages. Neither I, nor the president, nor the vice president, go to all the stages of the World Cup where these decisions are made,” Brock explained.
Bricis has been confirmed as the head coach, because some of the participants of the World Cup stages have worked with him this summer. Meanwhile, Maris Chakars will be in charge of the IBU Cup participants and young athletes.
“As this competition does not take place in one place, it is not physically possible for one coach to work with both IBU World Cup and IBU Cup teams. In order to have the right to participate in coach and competition meetings for the development of regulations, a national federation authorization called the main “This will be Ilmārs Bricis, who has already fulfilled these duties and earned his status. He has expanded his team this summer by working with several students. In addition to his technical duties, he will also take on the role of team leader,” said Brock.
Valdis Bērziņš and Intars Berkulis will also continue their work in the national team, who will work shifts during the World Cup stages, helping Bricis.
Not only Latvia’s leading biathletes Andrejs Rastorgujevs and Baiba Bendika are preparing for the new season abroad, but also other national team athletes.
“The team led by Chakara is going skiing in Finland this week. In principle, all our athletes are abroad. Despite all the circumstances, the work in the summer has been thorough with several camps outside Latvia,” Broka emphasized.
Bricis put an end to his biathlon career in 2012, but after that he started working with the Lithuanian national team, which also led the Sochi Olympic Games. However, in 2016, at the age of 46, he decided to return to the biathlon track to help Latvia qualify for the 2018 Olympic Games with a full relay team, but the goal was not achieved.
During his career, Bricis has won two bronze medals in world championships – in 2001 in the 20-kilometer individual distance and four years later in the ten-kilometer sprint. Bricis has also participated in six Olympic Games, where the best achievement is the fourth place in winning in Turin in 2006.
The Latvian athlete has climbed the podium several times also in the World Cup stages.
The 2020/2021 World Cup season will start in a month with a stage in Kontiolahti.
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