The 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia are underway and as athletes from across the globe continue to pursue Gold in their respective events, fans around the world remain glued to their television sets, smart phones and tablets in order to catch every second of action at the Winter Games since each moment could become a legendary occurrence. Popular sports in hockey, alpine skiing, figure skating and curling will certainly garner the bulk of attention from a viewership standpoint but there is another event that certainly won't struggle entertainment-wise since it possesses some of the best athletes in the world all competing for the same prize.
Olympic biathletes are some of the most fit and talented athletes in the world. A sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, the biathlon event is one of the most taxing events at the Winter Games because it forces each participant to hold up from an endurance standpoint while maintaining precise accuracy with a rifle pointed at tiny and distant targets. Germany, Norway, Russia and France have been traditionally strong in Olympic biathlon since the events Olympic debut in 1960 and this year's competition from a 'favorites' perspective will be no different.
Emile Hegle Svendsen of Norway and French star Martin Fourcade each hold 5/2 odds in three separate biathlon events but as these two established athletes enter as the favorites, members of the United States biathlon team hope to create lasting memories of their own. Since biathlon became an official Olympic sport, no American has ever medaled in the event, a significant hole when you consider that the United States is third all-time in total medals with 257. With four athletes set to compete in Saturday's Men's Sprint 10 km, Team USA is hoping to add that elusive piece of hardware.
Among the biathletes representing Team USA at the aforementioned event, perhaps none carry the weight of 32-year-old Tim Burke. A native New Yorker who has developed into a highly successful competitor, Burke was expected to reach the podium at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver. Burke -- who will be competing in his third Olympics -- became the first American to lead the World Cup biathlon standings in 2009 but was not able to capitalize on his success ahead of the 2010 games. Using his shortcomings in Vancouver as motivation to make the team in Sochi, Burke says that looking back to Vancouver helped motivate him for 2014.
“I have made big strides in my mental focus,” Burke said. “That was something I didn’t even consider before Vancouver. I always focused on my physically training. I thought in Vancouver I had the physical ability to win medals. But I was not mentally ready yet, and having that kind of experience in Vancouver -- It made me realize that it’s a side of my game, I needed to improve, if I wanted to be competitive in these big events. That has been the biggest change of my training in the last few years.”
Set to compete alongside American's Lowell Bailey, Leif Nordgren and Russell Currier, Burke hopes to be the one to bring a medal back to the United States. For all the success the USA has enjoyed in various skiing events, hockey and figure skating, Burke says he hopes the experience he's gained in the previous two Olympics will propel him to a status previously unknown as a biathlete. Reaching the podium however, will not come easy.
“I learned more from that than I have from anything else in my entire career,” he said regarding his past events at the Winter Games. “I feel like that’s helped prepare me now to deal with the pressure of the Olympics, which I don’t feel as much now. I think there’s probably 40 guys here who have a chance to get on the podium. For me, it’s going to take a perfect day. I mean, you need great material, the shape of the day and perfect shooting. I can do that, it’s just a matter of making that happen here.”
The Men's Biathlon Sprint 10 km can be seen on Saturday, Feb. 8 with television coverage offered by the NBC Network beginning at 2:30 p.m., ET.
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