Anastazia Kusmina is a Slovakian competitor in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics participating in Olympic Biathlon events. She first took up the sport in 1999 with the help of her husband and coach, Daniel Kuzman, an Israeli Cross Country Skier. (He is not competing in any events). Both she and her husband were born in Russia. Unable to take her son with her to the Russian training camps, she chose to join the Slovak team. She missed a number of competitions earlier in the 2009-2010 season due to a wrist break that had to be surgically repaired. But she soon got back on track, taking her first medal, a silver, in the Dec., 2009 World Championships, 12.5km mass start.

Besides being a mother and a biathlon champion, she is also a police officer in her current residential town of Banska Bystrica, Slovakia as a result of her education in law in Tyumen, Russia. Her hobbies include cooking and music.http://sports.yahoo.com/olympics/vancouver/biathlon/news?slug=reu-biathlonkuzmina_factbox&prov=reuters&type=lgns

Feb. 23, 2010 Women's 4x6km Relay Results Gold: Russian Federation Silver: France Bronze: Germany Official WinningTime: 1:09:36.3

In the Women's Relay Team event, Slovakia finished 13th. After the first leg, they were 17th. Anastazia Kuzmina had the 2nd leg and brought the team up to 9th, but in the 3rd round, they slid back into 14th place, and finished the race in 13th with a total time of 1:13:15.8.

Feb. 21, 2010 Women's Mass Race 12.5km Results

Gold: Magdalena Neuner Germany, Silver: Olga Zaitseva Russia, Bronze: Simone Hauswald Germany Official 35:19.6 - Women's 12.5km Mass Race

Anastazia Kuzmina came in a disappointing 8th with a final of +43.3.http://www.nbcolympics.com/news-features/news/newsid=436389.html#neuner+wins+second+gold+games

Feb. 18, 2010 Women' Baithlon 15km Individual Results

Gold: Tora Berger Norway, Silver: Elena Khrustaleva Kazakhstan, Bronze: Darya Domracheva Belarus Official 40:52.8 - Women's 15 km Individual

Anastazia Kuzmina had a terrible run in the 15km Individual. She came in 39th with a final time of 45.16, with 5 penalties.

Feb. 16, 2010 Women's Biathlon Pursuit 10km Results

Gold: Magdalena Neuner Germany, Silver: Anastazia Kuzmina Slovakia, Bronze: Marie Laure Brunet Marie Laure France Official 10:30 - Women's 10 km Pursuit

Anastazia Kuzmina didn't disappoint her countrymen, taking the silver in the 10km Pursuit. Kuzmina had a 1.5 second headstart against Neuner, who took the silver in the 7.5km Sprint. Kuzmina finished the race 12 seconds behind Neuner, who finished the race in 30min 16.0sec. The two will compete head to head in the 12.5 km Mass race.http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-news/n/news/afp-news/biathlon-(sprint)--revenge-for-neuner-in-10km-biathlon-pursuit_280066jc.html

Feb. 13, 2010 Women's Biathlon Sprint 7.5km Results

Gold: Anastazia Kuzmina Slovakia Silver: Magdalena Neuner Germany Bronze: Marie Dorin France Official 13:00 - Women's 7.5 km

The first gold medal ever awarded to Slovakia at a Winter Olympics was the gift from Anastazia Kuzmina who took the gold in the Women's Biathlon in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. But instead of reveling in her victory, she has voluntarily taken the entire weight of the Olympic dreams of Slovakia on her own shoulders. That's a heavy burden on her 5'10", 150lb frame. Kuzmina was the unlikely winner of the Women's 7.5-kilometer Sprint, the first biathlon race of the Vancouver Games. In fact, all of the medal winners were long shots. In her first Olympic start, Magdelan Neuner of Germany took silver, and the bronze went to Marie Dorin of France. The favorites, World Cup leader, Helena Jonsson from Sweden finished 12th. Teammate, Anna Carin came in 20th, and Neuner teammates, Andrea Henkel and Kati Wilhelm came in 27th and 30th, respectively.http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/vancouver/biathlon/2010-02-13-biathlon-gold_N.htm

Universal Sports named her Olympian of the Day for her gold medal win.http://www.universalsports.com/news/article/newsid=414193.html

How the Biathlon Works

The Biathlon is a combination of cross country skiing and rifle shooting either from a prone or upright position. In the sprint, the competitors must stop twice during the 7.5km race and take 5 shots at a target. For any shot missed, an additional 150m distance penalty is assessed. The best time takes the competition and the top 60 athletes advance to the next round, the pursuit event. In that event, the competitors "chase" the sprint winner, each starting the race based on their time in the sprint. The pursuit in women's competition is 10km with 4 stops taking 5 shots at each stop. As in the sprint, each missed shot is penalized. The first to cross the finish line wins. In the Mass Race, the 30 top ranked contenders start at the same time, with 4 stops of 5 shots each for 12.5km. Again, for any missed shot, she must ski an additional 150m. Withdrawal from the race is required if a person is lapped. The first to cross the finish line is the winner.

Kusmina's next race is the 12.5 km Mass race is scheduled for Feb. 21, at 1:00pm PST.http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-biathlon/additional-information/about-the-sport_144492xG.html