Moldova's Biathletes Gear Up for Winter Olympics
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) will provide scholarships worth $1,500 each to five Moldovan athletes selected by the National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOS) to help them prepare for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo.
The athletes who will receive this scholarship are biathletes Alina Stremous, Mihail Usov, Pavel Magazeev, Aliona Makarov, and Iulian Luchin, who compete in the cross-country skiing event. The contracts were signed at the CNOS headquarters.
"The amount is relatively small compared to the global level, but, for sure, the money will be useful in special moments, some expenses can be covered. For example, between training camps, when there's an urgent need to travel and the Federation cannot transfer money, then - here - a part of the scholarship can be decisive in such moments," said biathlete Mihail Usov.
"The result is constantly growing, and that's good. The scholarship will also help me improve my results. I will have more opportunities that will help me grow," said skier Iulian Luchin.
"Biathlon is an expensive sport, and this scholarship is a welcome support. It is an incentive for our new performances. It is a sufficient amount to work prolifically towards achieving the objectives. This support will also contribute to the consolidation of the entire national team," said biathlete Aliona Makarov.
The scholarships are offered to Moldovan athletes by the IOC through its Olympic Solidarity program. The scholarship recipients will be able to use the money to prepare for the Olympics, but they must also fulfil certain conditions.
"First of all, to agree with the provisions of the Olympic Charter, which means the Anti-Doping Code, the Code of Integrity and the Code of Ethics. Secondly, they are obligated to train and qualify for the Olympic Games. Therefore, when the athlete no longer has a chance to qualify for the Olympics, from that moment on they will no longer receive the Olympic scholarship," said Cristina Vasilianov, Secretary General of CNOS.
The Winter Olympics will take place in February 2026. The opening ceremony will be held at the famous "Stadio San Siro" in Milan, and the closing ceremony at the "Verona Arena". The biathlon competitions will be held in the Antholz-Anterselva resort.
At the previous edition of the Winter Olympics, in Beijing, the Republic of Moldova was represented by 5 athletes, 4 of whom competed in the biathlon events and one in the luge events.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
