Belarus at the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang

Belarus was among 92 nations participating in the 23rd Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang, South Korea, on 9-25 February. Team Belarus competed biathlon, freestyle skiing, speed skating, short-track, cross-country and alpine skiing.

The 23rd Olympic Games officially opened on 9 February. The grand opening was watched by about 75,000 spectators and multi-million TV audiences. During 17 days 2,925 participants  (which is an all-time record number of the winter games) will compete for 102 sets of medals in 7 sports (15 disciplines).

The slogan of Olympic Games in PyeongChang was Passion. Connected. PyeongChang 2018 Emblem combined the image of ice and snow, winter sports stars (athletes), and people from all over the world, coming together in PyeongChang where heaven meets earth. The mascot was Soohorang the White Ttiger which is regarded as the symbol of protection, strength and confidence in the Korean mythology and culture.

In the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics medal table Belarus placed 15th among 92 countries. Belarus won two gold and one silver medals. The Olympic champion titles were clinched by aerials skier Anna Guskova and biathletes Nadezhda Skardino, Irina Krivko, Dinara Alimbekova and Darya Domracheva in the women’s relay race. Darya Domracheva collected silver in the women’s Mass Start.

With three medals at the 2018 PyeongChang, Belarus’ total Winter Olympics medal haul now makes up 18 medals.

Team Belarus’ medal table at 2018 Olympic Games in PyeongChang

Gold

• Anna Guskova (freestyle skiing, Ladies Aerials) PHOTO
• Nadezhda Skardino, Irina Krivko, Dinara Alimbekova, Darya Domracheva (biathlon, Women’s 4х6km Relay) PHOTO

Silver

• Darya Domracheva (biathlon, Women’s Mass Start) PHOTO

Belarusians in Top Ten at 2018 PyeongChang Games

4th place

• Alla Tsuper (freestyle skiing, Ladies Aerials)

5th place

• Nadezhda Skardino, Darya Domracheva, Sergei Bocharnikov, Vladimir Chepelin (biathlon, Olympic Mixed Relay)

6th place

• Stanislav Gladchenko (freestyle skiing, Men's Aerials)
• Marina Zuyeva (speed skating, Ladies' Mass Start)

7th place

• Marina Zuyeva (speed skating, Ladies’ 5000m)
• Nadezhda Skardino (biathlon, Women’s Mass Start)
• Vitaly Mikhailov (speed skating, Men's Mass Start)

8th place

• Anton Smolski, Roman Eletnov, Sergei Bocharnikov, Vladimir Chepelin (biathlon, Men’s 4х7.5km Relay)

9th place

• Darya Domracheva (biathlon, Women’s 7.5K Sprint)

10th place

• Nadezhda Skardino (biathlon, Women’s 15K Individual)

Team Belarus in PyeongChang

Thirty-two Belarusian athletes competed in six sports (the licenses they won and five additional quotas allocated by the IOC). Belarusian fans placed special hopes on the biathlon and freestyle skiing teams. Belarus Sport and Tourism Ministry expected Team Belarus to place into the top 25 in the final team standings at the winter Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Aleksandr Baraulya, Deputy Sport and Tourism Minister of the Republic of Belarus, was the chief of the Belarusian mission at the 23rd  Olympic Winter Games.

Belarus’ biathlon national team at PyeongChang 2018

Women – three-time 2014 Sochi Olympic champion Darya Domracheva, 2014 Sochi bronze medalist, holder of the 2018 Small Crystal Globe Nadezhda Skardino, Irina Krivko, Nadezhda Pisareva, Dinara Alimbekova.

Men – 2018 World Cup bronze medalist Vladimir Chepelin, Sergei Bocharnikov, Maksim Vorobei, Roman Yeletnov, Anton Smolsky.

On the IOC official permit, the Belarusian biathlon national team included eight-time Olympic champion Ole Einar Bjoerndalen as a coach. The athlete supported his wife Darya Domracheva and her teammates.

Belarus’ aerials national team at PyeongChang 2018

Women – 2014 Sochi Olympic champion Alla Tsuper, 2017-2018 World Cup silver medalist Anna Guskova, World Cup medalist Aleksandr Romanovskaya.

Men – 2014 Sochi Olympic champion Anton Kushnir, 2017-2018 World Cup winner Maxim Gustik, Stanislav Gladchenko.

Belarusian cross-country skiing team at PyeongChang 2018 Olympics

Women – Yulia Tikhonova, Polina Seronosova, Anastasia Kirillova, Valentina Kaminskaya.

Men – Sergei Dolidovich (the Olympics was the seventh in his career), Aleksandr Voronov, Yuri Astapenko, and Mikhail Semenov.

Belarusian alpine skiers

Maria Shkanova and Yuri Danilochkin represented Belarus in alpine skiing.

Belarusian speed skating team in PyeongChang

Women – Marina Zuyeva, Ksenia Sadovskaya, Tatyana Mikhailova

Men – Ignat Golovatyuk, Vitaly Mikhailov

Belarus also fielded one short track skater, Maksim Sergeyev.

Belarusians at PyeongChang 2018: Interesting Facts

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The collection of the official outfits for Team Belarus at the PyeongChang 2018 was developed by well-known designer Lyudmila Labkova jointly with specialists of Bellegprom. About 50 designers and manufacturing technicians of the country’s major companies joined the project. The design of Belarus’ stylish Olympic outfits decorated with national symbols was inspired by the Belarusian ornament which is believed to bring luck. A recognizable element of the collection is an ornamental snowflake, the print made by painter Alina Grande. The Olympians’ outfit in grey and red colors is complemented with stylish winter accessories – warm hats, scarves, mittens and gloves.

The Team Belarus’ Olympic collection in the casual style (including a selection of Team Belarus fan gear, Family Look) are on sale in the major department stores of Belarus.

Everyday sports uniforms of the Belarusian Olympians are also bright and built to the comfort of the athletes. "The collection reflects the heritage of the past, historical traditions, and an impetus to the future. It is a mixture of the red, black and white colors and also features an ornament of the Belarusian national flag".

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Belarusian doping officers will work at the 2018 Olympics in PyeongChang.

According to the Sports and Tourism Ministry, Belarus is against the use of prohibited substances in sport, supports the principles of fairness, justice and the rule of law and is against collective punishment.

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The ceremony to hoist the Belarusian national flag at the Olympic village took place 7 February at 15:00 local time (09:00 Belarus’ time).

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Alla Tsuper carried the national flag for Team Belarus at the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang.

Four-time Olympic champion Darya Domracheva was Belarus’ flag bearer at the 2018 Games closing ceremony.

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