Within the same World Cup stage, the Moldovan team also pleased in the single mixed relay. Maxim Makarov paired with Alina Stremous finished on the 15th position. The other representatives of the national team – Pavel Magazeev, Mihail Usov, Alyona Makarova and Alla Gilenco – showed more modest results.
The most successful performance of Moldovan athletes at the start of the Biathlon World Cup season for many years makes us think about the realities and prospects of winter sports in our country. Their development is hindered by local climatic peculiarities and poorly developed sports infrastructure, but great enthusiasm is beginning to bear fruit at the highest level.
Biathlon remains the most developed winter sport in Moldova. At the last Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022, the country was represented by 4 biathletes (Magazeev, Macarov, Stremous, Gilenco) and 1 tobogganist (Doina Descaluy). Stremous took 10th place in the sprint race and 16th in the pursuit race. Magazeev was the best among men, finishing 26th in the individual race. In other sports, Moldovan athletes did not receive any quota.
The national biathlon team is made up of natives of Russia and Ukraine, naturalized in 2016-2020. According to Alina Stremous, with the transition to the Moldovan national team, the conditions of preparation for international tournaments have significantly improved. “Tricolor” hold training camps in Italy, Sweden, Romania, and Bulgaria, and the specialized federation solves all the issues related to the lack of equipment and provides athletes with quality rifles and skis.
Athletes do not have the opportunity to train at a high level in Moldova, there is no training base that meets the standards of the International Biathlon Union (IBU). Last year, the idea of opening a summer biathlon arena (athletes cross the distance on ski rollers) in the capital’s Riscani sector was discussed. If the project is realized within the mentioned terms, Chisinau will be able to host the World Championships on summer biathlon in 2026. But although the initiative was supported by the IBU president, the project, unfortunately, has dim prospects.
Preparations are underway for the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, which will be held in Italy (Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo). In order to support the most promising athletes, the NOC together with specialized federations identified 5 recipients of scholarships of $1.5 thousand per month, which are paid by the International Olympic Committee. Thus, 4 biathletes and 1 skier will receive cash payments from November 2023 to February 2026.
By the admission of biathlete Alyona Makarova, this amount is insufficient for full preparation for competitions. “One pair of skis costs €450. Weather conditions are different everywhere, so you need to have at least 10 pairs of skis. We also need shoes, poles… We pay for training camps, which cost about €40 per day,” said the athlete representing Moldova.
Other winter sports receive much more modest support. Luge skier Doina Descaluy said she was unable to perform better at the 2022 Winter Olympics because of her unprofessional equipment. She was forced to train and compete on an amateur sled. To buy a professional sled, she needs €15,000 – an insurmountable sum for a Moldovan athlete.
One of the public organizations initiated fundraising to buy the necessary equipment, but voluntary donations brought only €400. The main reason is the unpopularity of luge among local fans. Probably, the work announced by the Winter Sports Association to popularize luge will increase the interest of both inexperienced spectators and luge enthusiasts, who can take up luge professionally and further represent Moldova on the international arena.
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Highest performances of the current Moldovan representatives in winter sports |
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|---|---|---|
| Athlete / sport |
Tournament | Highest individual performance |
| Alina Stremous
biathlon |
Winter Olympics (2022) European Championships (2022) European Championships (2024) |
10th place (sprint) Gold medal (cross-country race), Silver medal (individual race) |
| Pavel Magazeev biathlon |
European Championships (2023) |
6th place (pursuit), 9th place (sprint) |
| Maxim Makarov biathlon |
World Championships (2023) European Championships (2023) |
8th place (single. mixed relay) 10th place (individual race) |
| Alla Gilenko biathlon |
European Championships (2021) |
9th place (one. mixed relay) |
| Doina Descaluy luge |
Winter Olympics (2022) World Junior Championships (2020) |
First representative of the Republic of Moldova in the history of luge to qualify for the Olympic tournament. 12th place (relay) |
| Adriana Adam luge |
Winter Youth Olympic Games (2020) World Junior Championships (2020) |
11th place (doubles) 12th place (relay) |
| Alyona Busuyok luge |
Winter Youth Olympic Games (2020) World Junior Championships (2020) |
11th place (doubles) 12th place (relay) |
| Julian Opriya sledding |
World Junior Championships (2020) |
12th place (relay) |
