“For my dead friend”: A poignant biathlon return

It was a photo that caused horror in the biathlon world and far beyond. At the beginning of March 2022, Dmytro Pidruchnyi posted a picture on his social media accounts in which he can be seen wearing soldier's uniform. A few days earlier, the Ukrainian biathlete had competed at the Olympic Games in Beijing, but now he had to go to war to protect his country from Russian terror. A story that tragically shows the turmoil of this war.

“On February 24th we returned from the Olympics, a day later the National Guard was called up,” Pidruchnyi told the ZDF . The biathlete was on the war front for a few months and had to patrol the town of Ternopoil before he was released again by the government in the summer. Athletes should now concentrate on their sport again.

Dmytro Pidruchnyi as a soldier in the Ukrainian war.

However, the 2019 Pursuit World Champion did not return to the biathlon stage for the time being because a knee injury was bothering him. On Thursday it was finally that time again: Pidruchnyi took part in a competition - and promptly provided a shining moment with a third place in the Obertilliach sprint.

Lost a friend in the war “I'm really happy that I have the opportunity to compete again. And I’m surprised that I made it straight to the podium,” Pidruchnyi wrote on social media after the race. At the same time, he also shared a tragic story with his fans. “The last few weeks haven't been easy for me. Not only because I had to work hard for my comeback, but also because I lost a friend in the war. We've spoken to each other so many times in the past, we've supported each other, but unfortunately I haven't received any news from him today." “We are doing our best to ensure that our country is heard and not forgotten.” Dmytro Pidruchnyi Pidruchnyi continued: “This podium place is for you, Eduard, a friend of mine who died a few weeks ago while defending Ukraine. If it weren't for people like him, we wouldn't be able to represent Ukraine in international sports arenas today. We are doing our best to ensure that our country is heard and not forgotten.” Dmytro Pidruchnyi not only made an emotional comeback, but also touched a number of fans with his words.

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

“For my dead friend”: A poignant biathlon return

This week a stage of the IBU Cup will take place in Obertilliach (East Tyrol). There has been a comeback that gives you goosebumps.

Suggestions

Comments (0)