Russian skier, three-time Olympic champion Alexander Bolshunov said on April 2 that his health prevented him from reaching the sprint final of the Russian Cup in Kirovsk.
Bolshunov took third place in his semi-final heat. Skier Sergei Ardashev finished first.
The athlete explained that his physical fitness was affected by the illness he suffered before the Russian Championship.
“The state of health is not something you can fight for victory. I ran at the Russian Championships with an illness, and that took its toll. Apparently, I overloaded my body a little. <…> Let's see, if it gets better further, it will be good. Today’s result, given how I feel, is normal,” he said in an interview “Match TV”.
The skier was referring to a cold that had kept him from training for several days. Despite this, Bolshunov won the individual and team sprint, skiathlon and relay.
Earlier, on March 20, Bolshunov, together with skier Saveliy Korostelev, also competing for the Arkhangelsk region, won the team sprint in the classic style at the Russian cross-country skiing championship. The athletes finished with a result of 18 minutes 10.4 seconds.
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