Oksana Khvostenko

Oksana Khvostenko was born on 27 November 1977 in Chernihiv, Ukraine. She is a retired biathlete. Her first year in biathlon was 1993. From the beginning of her career, Khvostenko proved herself as one of the best shooters in the World Cup tour. The first podium she achieved was a 2nd place in the mass start in Holmenkollen during the 1998-1999 season. But at the 1999 World Championships, she participated in only one race - the 15 km Individual where finished 39th. At the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, the first for the Ukrainian biathlete, Oksana Khvostenko took part only in the Individual event. She ended up at 29th position. There was a certain gap in her performance until the 2003 World Championships in Khanty-Mansyisk. Khvostenko won a silver medal as a member of the relay team. In the other disciplines, she placed 43rd in the Individual, 20th in the sprint, 10th in the pursuit and 27th in the mass start. Two years later at the 2005 World Championships in Hochfilzen, she was prepared excellent. Very concentrated during each race and even without winning a single medal, her results were in the Top 15 in all disciplines. Khvostenko finished 9th in the Individual, 8th in the sprint and mass start, 15th in the pursuit and 7th in the relay. No wonder after such results, she was chosen to represent her country at the 2006 Olympics in Turin. But her performance there were shockingly bad. Khvostenko placed 20th in the Individual, 49th in the sprint, couldn't finish the pursuit, didn't took part in the mass start and landed an 11th place in the relay. After such disastrous Games, more determined than ever, she made the 2006-2007 season the most successful in her career. In Pokljuka, Khvostenko made her first World Cup individual victory - in the mass start. She finished 3rd in the Individual in Hochfilzen, 5th in the sprint in Khanty-Mansyisk and 6th again in the sprint in Holmenkollen. At the 2007 World Championships in Antholz-Anterselva, Khvostenko placed 10th in the Individual, 16th in the sprint, 13th in the pursuit, 12th in the mass start and 9th in the relay. The season concluded for her at number 9 in the overall. That was the best overall finish she ever achieved. During the 2007-2008 Oksana Khvostenko doubled her success at the World Championships in Östersund. She began with a podium in the first race for the season - the 15 km Individual, where was 3rd in Östersund. A few days later, another 3rd place in the following discipline - the sprint. So far she won 2 bronze medals and added to the collection, a silver from the relay. Khvostenko managed twice 4th position in the mass starts in Holmenkollen and Khanty-Mansyisk. At the end she was 16th in the overall. Sadly Oksana Khvostenko couldn't triple her achievements from the past two seasons. At the 2009 World Championships in Pyeongchang, she finished 21st in the Individual, 34th in the sprint, 22nd in the pursuit and 21st in the mass start. 2010 was an Olympic year. She took part in every race in the program. Khvostenko placed 8th in the Individual, 11th in the sprint, 22nd in the pursuit, 29th in the mass start and 6th with the relay team. Given so, the Games in Vancouver were the most successful compared to her results in 2002 in Salt Lake City and 2006 in Turin. At the 2011 World Championships in Khanty-Mansyisk, Oksana Khvostenko was disqualified because tested positive for ephedrine at a post event doping control. The Ukrainian relay team finished 2nd but since one of the members was caught with such substance in their blood, the silver was deprived and given to the French relay. On 13 March 2011 began the one year ban of Khvostenko from the sport. Disappointed, she decided to end her career. Oksana Khvostenko is married to her fellow teammate Vyacheslav Derkach. The couple has two children, one son and one daughter.