World of O News
Very popular gold medals for Dana Brozkova (CZE) and Daniel Hubmann (SUI) at the long distance at the World Orienteering Championships in Olomouc today. In both cases there was a tough fight between the medalists all the way to the end – the races being decided only in the very tricky last loop of the race. Silver and bronze went to Marianne Andersen (NOR) and Annika Billstam (SWE) in the womens class and Anders Nordberg (NOR) and Francois Gonon (FRA) in the mens class.
– A great feeling
– I did not understand that I was fighting for the gold medal here at the spectator control. I hoped I was fighting for a medal, but I did not know that I was fighting for the gold, Brozkova said after celebrating her victory. – This is really a great feeling!
Lost the gold – and a contact lens
Marianne Andersen was in the lead in most of the race, but in the end she had to see Brozkova beating her. – I felt that I lost the gold medal today, Andersen said after the race. – I had a very good start of the race, but lost my contact lens after about one third of the race, and I think that cost me some time.
For Andersen this was her third individual silver medal after silver medals in both Middle and Long in Denmark in 2006.
A dream come true
– It was a dream since years to win one of these gold medals after so many silver medals, said Hubmann who has previously won three WOC silver medals and four EOC silver medals.
– After the sprint, I was really happy with my race. But of course these two seconds was not a good feeling. And after the middle distance were I was fourth after doing a minute mistake I was really unhappy. But today I only looked forwards, and I managed to keep the focus on the orienteering. I managed to stay calm even if I was very nervous in the end.
Results and maps
The course got a lot of praise from the competitors. – I liked the course. It was a good mix with many routechoices, and some tricky controls in the end, silver medalist Marianne Andersen said after the race.
