Colorado University Athletics

Weronika Kaleta
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Kaleta, Hyncicova Participate In 4x5K Relay In Winter Olympics

February 12, 2022 | Skiing, Olympians

ZHANGJIAKOU, China—Weronika Kaleta and Petra Hyncicova both took part in the Women's 4x5K relay at the XXIV Winter Olympic Games here Saturday, as the Olympics continue in Beijing.Ā 

In a twist of fate only if you're a Buffs fan, while the two didn't compete directly against each other, they did encounter each other on the course.Ā Ā Kaleta was the third skier for Poland and Hyncicova the fourth for the Czech Republic, those two teams neck and neck at the tag between the third and fourth skiers. Ā How close? Ā Approximately one-tenth of a second. Ā 

Kaleta's skied her 5K freestyle leg for Poland in 14:24.8 and Poland was in 15th place when she was finishing up, which came at the 45:51.0 mark of the race when she tagged Karolina Kukuczka for the final leg. Ā Meanwhile, the Czech Republic's Katerina Janatova tagged Hyncicova for the final leg at the 45:51.1 mark, meaning when Kaleta came in to tag her teammate, Hyncicova was standing right beside her waiting for her teammate to tag her. Ā 

Hyncicova skied her 5K loop in 13:41.5, which was the eighth-fastest in the field. Ā She overtook Kukuczka and Poland and both teams overtook Estonia as the Czech republic finished 13th and Poland 14th in the 19 team field. Ā 

Kaleta is a sophomore at CU and picked up All-American honors last year as a freshman. Ā She finished 50th in the women's sprint free race. Ā 

Hyncicova was a seven-time All-American and two-time Individual NCAA Champion, sweeping both women's Nordic races at the 2017 NCAA Championships. Ā She finished 42nd in the women's 10K classic, 26th in the 7.5k skiathlon, and 33rd in the women's sprint free races. Ā 

Women's cross country has two events left, the women's team sprint classic on Wednesday and the women's 30K mass start Sunday, Feb. 20. Ā Participants for those two races have not yet been determined. Ā 

Sunday's action in Beijing 2022 will feature Alvar Alev and Joanne Reid. Ā Alev will take part in the 4x10K relay for Estonia in Cross Country Skiing action and Reid in the 10K pursuit for Team USA in biathlon. Ā 

Alev will be the second skier out for Estonia and be in bib 12-2. Ā Reid will start 34th for Team USA and start 2:11 after the start of the race, which was her finishing position in the 7.5K sprint race Friday. Ā 

After Aleva and Reid compete Sunday, no Buffs will be in action at the Olympics until Wednesday at the earliest.Ā 
Ā 
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