Raring to go

Which young Belarusian athletes are worth watching right now

Albania recently hosted the European Junior & U23 Weightlifting Championships. Belarusian athletes won a scattering of awards there — both ‘big’ medals in the double event and ‘small’ ones in individual exercises. However, it was not just weightlifters who impressed us this year: there is talented and promising young blood in many sports.

Andrei Fralou — in the centre 

Andrei Fralou and Dziyana Maiseyevich returned from the European championships in Albania as champions. Andrei, competing in the up to 79kg weight category, achieved a total of 327kg (147+180) in the snatch and clean & jerk — none of his rivals could surpass this result. Moreover, Fralou lifted the heaviest weight in the clean & jerk among his competitors, and also secured a small bronze in the snatch. Dziyana Maiseyevich, competing in the up to 64kg weight category, returned home with a similarly weighty collection of awards. This is not the first major international victory for the girl; let us remind you that two years ago she won the Grand Prix in Havana, which was a qualifying event for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the current season at the ‘adult’ European championships, she won a small bronze in the snatch, and finished just one step away from the podium in the double event. In Albania, the total of 219kg brought her victory in the double event, while attempts at 100kg and 119kg brought her  small gold and bronze in the snatch and clean & jerk. 
Only 6kg separated our Yahor Papou from gold at the youth continental championship, but this guy can certainly be proud of himself. Firstly, because he became a silver medallist in the double event, and secondly, because his best result in the snatch — 151kg — became a European record! Silver medallists at the continental championships in the total of two exercises are Siarhei Sharankou, Darya Kheidzer, Alena Bondarava, as well as Ihnatsi Pauliukavets, who, it should be noted, has consistently won awards at the Junior World Championships for the past three years. Artsiom Rahazhynski and Artur Yakushau returned from the tournament with medals in individual exercises.
Not long ago, the U23 World Wrestling Championships concluded in Novi Sad, Serbia, from which Belarusian athletes returned with two awards. Aryna Dzemchanka, well known to combat sports fans under her maiden name Martynava, became the silver medallist of the tournament. Yana Tretsiak captured bronze at the same event. The young women, assembled in the national wrestling team, have made people talk about them more than once this year. In March, for example, at the U23 European Wrestling Championships, the Belarusians delivered a stellar performance: Aryna Dzemchanka and Kseniya Tsiarenia returned home with gold, Anastasiya Yanotava secured silver, while Marta Hetmanava, Viktoryia Radzkova, Hanna Pirskaya and Viktoryia Volk won bronze. Less than a month later, Alina Shauchuk, who — think of that! — was only 19 years old, won the senior European championship. In July, she added a gold medal from the junior continental championship to her collection of awards. The rising generation is something to behold!
The same can be confidently said about kayak and canoe racing. This year at the World Junior and U23 Championships, Belarusian kayakers and canoeists won ten medals — four golds, five silvers and a bronze. The names of many athletes have been in the limelight for several years — coaches have high hopes for Yuliya Trushkina and Inna Nedelkina, Yeva Danilchuk, Maryia Papichych, Yahor Auchynnikau, Dzianis Yermolenka and many other rowers, and for good reason. 

          










Yana Tretsiak (right) during the fight            uww.org                 Canoeists Maryia Papichych and Palina Sobal are world youth champions

At the beginning of the year, Belarusian pistol shooters performed brilliantly at the European Junior Shooting Championships: Mikalai Yakuta captured gold, Aliaksandra Piatrova — two silvers. Notably, at the end of the summer, Piatrova became the winner of the European championship in small-bore rifle shooting. At other international competitions, the successes of our athletes confirmed that the work is being carried out in the right direction: Alina Nestsiarovich, who also made it onto the podium of the Junior World Cup, Darya Chuprys, Arseni Livantsou and Yury Krautsou returned with medals from the European Youth Olympic Festival.
A change of generations has also taken place in modern pentathlon. Representatives of the new generation have made themselves known more than once. Thus, this season, Viyaleta Hureyeva and Anastasiya Malashenoka climbed onto the podium of the World Cup stages. Viyaleta is 26 years old, and Anastasiya is 21. Mariya Gnedtchik, who, unfortunately, missed most of the season due to an injury sustained in competitions, is of the same age. One of the leaders of the men’s team today is Mariya’s younger brother, Akim Gnedtchik, who recently turned 17. Last year he won the European and world championships among juniors, and this year he almost reached the podium at the first World Cup stage of his career — he came fourth. In the final of the tournament, Akim showed the best result among Belarusians — 7th place. There is more to come!

IMPORTANT

Recently, sports fans’ attention has been riveted on hockey talent. Minsk hosted Belarus’ oldest international junior tournament — the President’s Sports Club Cup. Many leading hockey players once played in it, including Yegor Sharangovich and Aliaksei Protas, Vitaly Pinchuk and more. This time, two Belarusian teams participated — a youth team made up of players under 17 years old, and a junior team, which included hockey players under 18 years old, as well as the Russian U-16 and Kazakhstan U-18 teams. The Chairman of the Belarusian Ice Hockey Federation, Aliaksandr Bahdanovich, noted, “This competition has been around for 18 years, and we must thank the President’s Sports Club for organising and supporting its execution, as well as for the development of hockey. This is the first step for national teams participating in international tournaments. Such competitions cause excitement for any team. When we call up an athlete from a club, a lot of work has already been done behind them. Yet, when they put on a jersey with the coat of arms and flag of the Republic of Belarus, it places a special responsibility on them, and they must show the best possible result. They represent their country and must defend the honour of their team.”
Belarus’ U18 junior national team has won the international hockey tournament — the President’s Sports Club Cup — for the seventh time. The second place was taken by the Russian U16 team, and the bronze went to the Belarusian U17 national team.
Belarus’ U18 national team also took first place at the 3x3 hockey tournament, which was held as part of the President’s Sports Club Cup in Minsk.

sportclub.by

By Tatiana Litvinova