Ukrainian biathlon champ with expert aim ditches airgun for deadly rifle as she joins army to fight
A UKRAINIAN world champion has put her sports career on pause to join the army in the fight against Russia.
Anna Krivonos, 24, is the reigning Junior Biathlon World Champion, a sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
But she has now decided to put down the airgun and pick up a rifle with real bullets in order to defend her country, reports El Nacional.
The Ukrainian Biathlon Instagram page posted a photo of Anna which has amassed nearly 800 likes with followers quick to comment well wishes and support.
Captioned “Anna Krivonos in defence of Ukraine”, the post shows the champ clad in military clothing including a camouflage cap.
With the news shared on Reddit, viewers were quick to poke fun at the Russian soldiers’ expense and cheer on Anna.
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“I wish her endless amounts of ammo,” said one.
“Probably a better marksman than any Russian soldier in Ukraine. Go get’em girl,” commented another.
“She’s just getting some practice in before the next championship,” joked a third.
Others were confident that Anna’s skills would transfer well onto the battlefield.
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One said: “Biathlon is mostly about shooting tiny targets under time pressure after skiing several miles. I would guess that she is a fantastic sniper.”
Another Redditor commented: “Biathlon, decathlon etc, are all military disciplines, and most have their roots in the original Olympic games. Good for her, given this situation.”
Military service is not currently compulsory for women but Anna will be no exception as women currently make up 10% of the Ukrainian army.
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Biathlon has been part of the Olympic Games program since Squaw Valley 1960.
Apart from the Olympics, biathletes also compete in the World Championship, the World Cup and the European Championship.