08.03 Russia’s Kaufman Charges to Paralympic Biathlon Gold

ROSA KHUTOR, Russia, March 8 (R-Sport) – Alena Kaufman won Russia its second gold medal of the Sochi Paralympics on Saturday with victory in the women’s standing 6km biathlon event.

Kaufman, 26, led home a Russian one-two, winning by 30 seconds from compatriot Anna Milenina, who would have been in contention for gold had she not been forced to ski two penalty loops for missed shots.

"I believed until the end," said Kaufman, who said the victory was made more special by the fact it came on International Women's Day, a major holiday in Russia.

"Everything went great, right from the morning on," she told R-Sport. "Today's March 8, women's day, our day. I couldn't lose."

It is Russia’s second gold of the Games after Roman Petushkov won the men’s 7.5km sitting biathlon earlier Saturday, the first day of competition.

Ural Mountains native Kaufman, 26, was a surprise winner after only managing a finish of 10th in the 6km at last year’s world championships.

Ukrainian Iuliia Batenkova won her 10th career Paralympic medal with bronze, 50.5 seconds off the pace, while another Ukrainian, reigning champion Oleksandra Kononova, failed to match pre-race expectations with a fifth-place finish.

The race used so-called “calculated time,” in which each athlete’s time is modified by a percentage reflecting the extent of their disability.
Three more biathlon gold medals are on offer in events later in the day.

Over the nine days of competition in Sochi, a total of 72 gold medals will be awarded in five sports.

This article was updated to include quotes, correct first name for Kaufman.