Biathlete Tuuli Tomingas bouncing back from poor Oberhof showing

Estonia's top biathlete, Tuuli Tomingas, is on the rebound from a disappointing World Cup performance in Oberhof, where she finished 84th in the sprint after missing five shots across two rounds.
While she missed this week's stage in Ruhpolding, Germany, she should be back for the start of the next stage in Rasen-Antholz, Italy.
According to her coach, Indrek Tobreluts, the poor results in Oberhof were caused by a mix of factors, including bad timing and emotional strain.
"Sometimes, unfortunate circumstances align—choosing the wrong skis or struggling at the shooting range—and you end up with a result like Oberhof's," Tobreluts said. "If an athlete gives up mid-performance, it amplifies the poor outcome."
Despite the setback, recent medical and endurance tests showed Tomingas in excellent physical condition, with her achieving a career-best result.
"Tuuli underwent an endurance test and some medical examinations, including heart tests, today," Tobreluts said.
"It's remarkable—Tuuli achieved her all-time best result in the endurance test. Physically, she's in good shape. Her blood values may not be at peak levels, but they are within the normal range. There's no physical reason she shouldn't perform well," the coach went on.
Tobreluts added that emotional factors have weighed on Tomingas recently.
"Tuuli is very emotional, and when things don't go as planned—like on Saturday—she tends to ease off. When that happens, finishing around 80th place can seem worse than the actual situation suggests."
Looking ahead, Tomingas is expected to compete in next week's World Cup stage in Antholz.
"We're sticking to the plan we made," said Tobreluts. "The goal is to reach the World Championships in good form. Mentally, this may be the toughest period of Tuuli's career, but there are no physical barriers at the moment," Tobreluts noted.
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Editor: Ivar Lepik, Siim Boikov, Andrew Whyte