ROSA KHUTOR, February 21 (R-Sport) – Powered by twin sisters Vita and Valj Semerenko, Ukraine skied to women's biathlon relay gold at the Sochi Olympics on Friday, while Russia claimed a silver medal that gives the nation its greatest-ever total medal haul at a Winter Games.
With Juliya Dzhyma and Olena Pidhrushina also on board, Ukraine completed the 4x6km race around the sunset-bathed Laura biathlon course in one hour, 10 minutes 2.05 seconds, surrendering the lead only briefly to the Italians.
The silver went to Russia's quartet of Olga Zaitseva, Yekaterina Shumilova, Yana Romanova and Olga Vilukhina, 26.4 seconds back. Vilukhina shot quicker than Tora Berger at the penultimate range to move up from the bronze position. The medal is Russia's 24th of the Games, eclipsing the previous best at Lillehammer 1994.
Berger's Norway had to settle for third, crossing the line 37.6 seconds behind the Russians.
Medal contender France was eliminated from the race early on when Marie Laure Brunet suffered an injury on a fall and withdrew from the race.
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