A Czech duo showcased resilience and enhancement at a recent biathlon exhibition race, finishing sixth on Sunday after a solid performance. Mikyska and Davidova bettered last year’s ninth-place result in the event, a traditionally popular fixture on the winter sports calendar held in Nové Město na Moravě [[2]], and a venue that hosted the World Championships in 2024 [[3]]. This exhibition race offers a glimpse into form as athletes prepare for the upcoming Biathlon World Cup season [[1]].
Czech duo Mikyska and Davidova finished sixth in a popular winter biathlon event on Sunday, improving upon last year’s ninth-place result from Krčmář and Jislová. The Czech Republic has twice finished second in the traditional exhibition race, with Ondřej Moravec achieving the feat in both 2015 and 2017.
Mikyska, 25, was competing in the event for the first time, while Davidova, 28, returned after a two-year absence due to a herniated disc.
The Czech team struggled in the first leg, sitting fifth after the initial prone shooting stage. Errors in the standing stage dropped them to eighth place at the halfway point, trailing leaders Strelow and Hettich-Walz by over 90 seconds. They accumulated a total of 11 penalty loops.
Starting the second leg 35 seconds behind, the Czechs couldn’t challenge for the top spots but improved their shooting, incurring only six penalties. They ultimately finished sixth, two minutes and one second off the pace.
Strelow and Hettich-Walz secured the victory with exceptional shooting, missing just one target in the second leg. They finished 21.4 seconds ahead of the French pair of Claude and Jeanmonnot. Överby and Arnekleiv, wearing black armbands in memory of recently deceased compatriot Sivert Guttorm Bakken, finished third, one minute and 12 seconds back.
The Czech team of Mikyska and Davidova delivered a solid performance, finishing sixth in Sunday’s biathlon exhibition race. The duo improved on last year’s ninth-place finish, showcasing progress in this popular winter event.
Mikyska, 25, made his debut in the race, while Davidova, 28, returned to competition after a two-year hiatus to recover from a herniated disc. The pair faced a challenging first leg, struggling with shooting accuracy and falling to eighth place at the halfway mark.
Despite a stronger shooting performance in the second leg, the Czechs couldn’t close the gap to the leaders. Strelow and Hettich-Walz dominated the competition, securing the win with impressive marksmanship, missing only one target in the final stage. They crossed the finish line 21.4 seconds ahead of France’s Claude and Jeanmonnot.
The Norwegian team of Överby and Arnekleiv finished third, honoring the memory of Sivert Guttorm Bakken with black armbands. The Czech Republic’s best results in this event remain two second-place finishes, achieved by Ondřej Moravec with Gabriela Soukalova in 2015 and Eva Puskarčíková in 2017.
The result highlights the competitive nature of the biathlon circuit as athletes continue to prepare for upcoming World Cup events.
