The Russians more professional
Posted on | February 28, 2007 | Category: News
Russia took the four best places in the men’s class on the long distance. The sport is more professional in Russia than anywhere else.
– All runners on the elite level are professional, says Eduard Khrennikov. He won his second gold, making his career total 11.
He came into the finish waving a Russian flag just as he has many times previously. He really is the King. With Khrennikov in the lead, the Russians really are the best. To have all four runners in front of all the others on the long distance is quite incredible.
– The Russians are very impressive, says the best non-Russian, Tomas Löfgren.
The Swede says that he has heard that about 60 athletes are participating in the sport on a full time basis. Löfgren is now working full time.
– I think it’s good to have something other than sport, he says.But the challenge for him can often be to get enough time, especially for rest.
– I wouldn’t managed if I didn’t have an understanding partner, says Löfgren.
Earlier he found it a bit easier to make time for sport. Until November he was working 70 percent full-time.
Khrennikov won the long distance with a gap of 51 seconds to second placed Kirill Vesselov.
– The race was very hard. I felt tired on the long distance, he says. But he didn’t give his all at the start of the race.
The King in the men’s class also says that Tomas Löfgren and Staffan Tunis, who finished sixth, were not so easy to keep up with at the start. But in the long run he was again the best.
Wednesday is a rest day in Russia. Thursday is the middle distance and Friday is the relay.
Again it was a big day for Russia. All the men's medals went to Russians. Kirill Veselov (left), Eduard Khrennikov and Andrey Gruzdev took the medals.
Peter Arnesson from Sweden took his second eighth place in these championships. He led out from start.
Tomas Löfgren came fifth and was the best non-Russian.
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