Serguei Sednev

Serguei Anatoliyovich Sednev was born on 19 December 1983 in Hlukhiv, Ukraine. He is a retired biathlete, who made his World Cup debut on 17 January 2004 in Ruhpolding. At the Junior World Championships in Maurienne in 2004, Sednev won a silver medal in the 12.5 km pursuit. The same year he took part in the Minsk' European Championships and won another silver with the relay team. His first World Cup podium happened in 2007, when Sednev came 3rd in the Individual in Pokljuka. Throughout his entire career all of his best positions were in that particular biathlon discipline. During the 2008-2009 season Sednev achieved another 3rd place in Hochfilzen, this time with the relay. After that he competed at the 2009 European Championships in Ufa. Sednev won two medals - a bronze in the Individual and a silver in the pursuit. During the 2009-2010 season, Sednev achieved his one and only World Cup victory. He won the 20 km Individual in Antholz-Anterselva. At the Olympic Games in Vancouver in 2010, Sednev didn't win any medals. He finished 68th in the Individual, 22nd in the sprint, 10th in the pursuit, 21st in the mass start and 8th in the relay. The season concluded at number 22 in the overall. In 2010-2011 in Hochfilzen, Sednev was quite a sensation when he placed 2nd in the sprint. The following week was 3rd in the Individual and 2nd in the mixed relay in Pokljuka. At the 2011 World Championships in Khanty-Mansiysk, Sednev managed a 3rd position, bronze medal in the relay event. In the other races he was 33rd in the sprint, 27th in the pursuit and 25th in the mass start. That season he made his best overall finish - 16th. The 2011-2012 is marked only with one podium, 2nd place in the mixed relay in Kontiolahti. Unfortunately a sudden drop in his sports form occurred. Sednev wasn't able to repeat his success again. At the following World Championships in 2012 in Ruhpolding and in 2013 in Nove Mesto, Sednev didn't win anything nor made a Top 10 score finish (except 8th place in the relay 2012). His individual performance was terrible. However he competed at he 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi only in two events. Sednev finished 44th in the sprint and 54th in the pursuit. After the Games, he unexpectedly retired on 19 December 2014, on his 31st birthday. In front of the press, Sednev gave the lack of good results and motivation as a reason. On 12 January 2015, the International Biathlon Union's press office released that Sednev tested positive for recombinant EPO upon re-analysis of an out of competition sample originally taken on 22 January 2013. Sednev's reply was exercising his right for a B-analysis. He was subsequently banned for two years from competing, starting on 15 December 2014. Instead of waiting for the ban to expire, Sednev retired.