21.01 Russian Olympic Champions Picked to Defend Biathlon Titles at Sochi

MOSCOW, January 21 (R-Sport) – Reigning Olympic champions Evgeny Ustyugov and Olga Zaitseva have been confirmed on Russia's biathlon roster for next month’s Winter Games in Sochi.

Both Ustyugov, who won the 12.5km mass start in Vancouver, and Zaitseva, the only survivor from the 2010 gold medal-winning women's relay team, have struggled this season, with one podium apiece from six World Cup stages.

Russia's officials have broadly opted for youth over experience in the roster. Besides Ustyugov and Zaitseva, only two other team members have competed at the Olympics.

Anton Shipulin accompanied Ustyugov in the bronze-winning men's relay team four years ago, while Yana Romanova finished 56th in the women's individual race.

No Russian athlete has won an individual World Cup or world championship race since Shipulin a year ago. But there have been two wins for the men's relay team and one for the women's relay team in that time.

The Olympic biathlon competitions will be held at the Laura biathlon and ski complex in the mountains above Sochi from February 8 to 22.

Men’s roster: Anton Shipulin, Dmitry Malyshko, Evgeny Ustyugov, Alexei Volkov, Alexander Loginov, Evgeny Garanichev, Timofey Lapshin (alternate)

Women’s roster: Olga Zaitseva, Olga Vilukhina, Irina Starykh, Ekaterina Shumilova, Yana Romanova, Ekaterina Glazyrina, Galina Nechkasova (alternate)