Press releases

Belarus capable of booking some 100 Tokyo Olympic berths

MINSK, 13 November (BelTA) – Belarusian athletes are able to win some 100 berths for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Belarus’ Sport and Tourism Minister Sergei Kovalchuk said at a meeting of the organizing committee held in Minsk on 13 November to discuss the preparation of Belarusian athletes for the 32nd Summer Olympic Games and the 16th Summer Paralympic Games, BelTA has learned.

Belarus’ Deputy Prime Minister Igor Petrishenko stressed that eight months remain until the start of the Olympic Games in Tokyo. He added that the government had undertaken all necessary measures to ensure the proper preparations for the forthcoming competitions.  

The third stage to prepare Belarusian athletes for the upcoming Olympics is drawing to a close. The preparations program envisages more than 300 athletes to qualify to compete in 30 sports at the 2020 Olympic Games.

As of 6 November, the Olympic qualifying requirements and standards were met by 63 Belarusian athletes across 51 events in 13 sports. They include wrestling, cycling, gymnastics, rowing, athletics, swimming, and sailing. Selection in some sports will continue through the end of June 2020.

“We believe that by the end of the Olympic qualifying period we can expect our athletes to secure about 100 Olympic berths. The analysis of the performance of our summer sports teams shows that Belarus is traditionally strong in kayak and canoe, weightlifting, rhythmic gymnastics, trampolining, and wrestling,” said Sergei Kovalchuk.
 
According to the minister, today Belarus has chances to qualify for the Summer Olympics in handball, 3x3 basketball, and beach volleyball. At the same time, Belarus has poor chances to qualify in badminton, synchronized swimming, equestrian and taekwondo.

Sergei Kovalchuk is convinced that only through joint work of the Sport and Tourism Ministry, the National Olympic Committee, sports federations, oblast executive committees and Minsk City Hall it will be possible to successfully solve all the issues to ensure proper preparation of Belarusian athletes for the upcoming Olympic Games.

The organizing committee discussed issues related to the preparation of athletes for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, provision of the teams with necessary equipment, gear, medical equipment and means of rehabilitation, and talked over anti-doping control issues.

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