Iryna Leshchanka Explained

Iryna Leshchanka (be|Ірына Лешчанка; ru|Ирина Валерьевна Лещенко; née Kryuko, born 30 July 1991) is a Belarusian biathlete. She won a gold medal in the 4×6 km relay at the 2018 Olympics. She also competed in the 2014/15 world cup season and represented Belarus at the Biathlon World Championships 2015 in Kontiolahti.^[3]

Leshchanka's parents divorced soon after her birth; hence she and her younger brother Victor were raised by their mother. Iryna took up biathlon at age 11, by chance – after their house burned down in a fire, the family moved to a dormitory next to a biathlon training base. Her brother followed her and also became an international biathlon competitor. Iryna debuted internationally at the 2009 World Junior Championships, placing fourth individually. In 2011 she was included in the senior national team.^[1]

Olympic Games

1 medal (1 gold)

Event	Individual	Sprint	Pursuit	Mass Start	Relay	Mixed relay
align=left	2018 Pyeongchang	36th	17th	17th	26th	Gold	—
align=left	2022 Beijing	41st	60th	20th	—	13th	—

World Championships

0 medals

Event	Individual	Sprint	Pursuit	Mass Start	Relay	Mixed Relay	Single mixed relay
align=left	2015 Kontiolahti	19th	—	—	—	6th	—	rowspan="3"
align=left	2016 Oslo Holmenkollen	64th	66th	—	—	18th	9th
align=left	2017 Hochfilzen	14th	36th	45th	—	9th	22nd
align=left	2019 Östersund	62nd	26th	33rd	24th	11th	—	—
align=left	2020 Antholz	30th	52nd	49th	—	13th	12th	—
align=left	2021 Pokljuka	—	75th	—	—	4th	—	12th

• During Olympic seasons competitions are only held for those events not included in the Olympic program.

• • The single mixed relay was added as an event in 2019.

World Cup

Relay podiums

Season	Place	Competition	Placement
		Relay	bgcolor=silver	2
		Relay	bgcolor=silver	2
		Relay	bgcolor=silver	2

Notes and References

1. http://www.noc.by/olympic-games/team/chempiony-olimpijskih/krivko-irina/ КРИВКО Ирина Валерьевна
2. https://www.biathlon.com.ua/profile.php?id=2861 Ирина Кривко
3. Web site: Iryna Leshchanka. . 14 March 2015.