Latvia’s rising stars in biathlon have quickly gained a dedicated following thanks to a string of impressive performances. This week, Estere Volfa, Elza Bleidele, and Rihards Lozbers, along with seasoned veterans Baiba Bendika and Andrejs Rastorgujevs, will compete at the World Cup event in Otepää, Estonia.

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The recent World Youth (U19) and Junior (U21) Championships saw a sensational showing from Latvia, with a total of three gold, three silver, and one bronze medal, securing the top spot in the medal count. Volfa, competing in her final junior championship, exceeded expectations by winning three medals and also claiming the World Cup overall season title. Her training partner and longtime classmate, Elza Bleidele, secured two medals, while Rihards Lozbers dominated the youth category, reaching the podium four times ahead of his 17th birthday later this week.
Highlights from the championships include a gold medal in the junior mixed relay, with the trio joined by Matīss Meirāns, a second-place finish for Volfa in the junior mass start, and a third-place finish for Bleidele in the same event. Lozbers also took silver in the youth mass start, despite incurring seven penalties during the shooting portion. Notably, the absence of Norwegian athletes – who typically don’t compete in international junior events, preferring to develop talent domestically – meant that all of the world’s top young biathletes were present at the championships.
Meanwhile, at last week’s World Cup stage in Kontiolahti, Andrejs Rastorgujevs delivered a strong performance, finishing ninth in the 20km distance and eighth in the mass start. This week in Otepää, athletes will first compete in the sprint and pursuit events, followed by the mixed and mixed pair relay on Sunday. Latvia secured 12th place in the mixed relay at the Olympics – holding ninth position before the final shooting stage, but a penalty loop for Volfa ultimately impacted their result.
In an interview with Sporta Avīze, Volfa stated that this could be the relay team’s best opportunity to achieve top results in the near future. Latvia competed with what is now considered its optimal lineup at the Olympic Antholz event, as the World Cup typically prioritizes the mixed pair relay held on the same day. “In the pair relay, much depends on shooting – if you fall behind in one stage, the relay is essentially over. However, here we have a longer distance and can still compete for relatively high positions even with a less successful stage,” Volfa told Sporta Avīze. The final two stages of the season are particularly important for the women’s team, as they aim to secure 17th place in the Nations Cup and earn four quota spots for next season’s World Cup. Following Sunday’s women’s relay, where Latvia finished 18th and Canada 13th, Latvia now faces a 38-point deficit after previously holding a 12-point lead.
