By Ivan Rafalsky
This year, the tournament was hosted by Brest, giving the hosts a chance to prove themselves on home ground. Taking part in the European Championships since 1993, the team has twice won prizes: first in 2004 and third in 2008 (plus fourth iin 2010). Unfortunately, the team was less successful this year, losing 2:1 to favourites Russia in the quarter-finals after a tough match. “We’re disappointed but this was a game of equals,” notes Sergey Safonov, the head coach of the Belarusian national team, summing up the results of the key match. “Sadly, we made inexcusable mistakes, preventing us from gaining victory.”
Mr. Safonov’s trainees came fifth in the consolation match, which knocks them out of the World Games — being hosted by Columbia in 2013.
