Press releases

MINSK, 10 March (BelTA) - Belarus has bagged another medal of the Winter Paralympics which are underway in Sochi. Yadviga Skorobogataya (B2 class) won bronze in the women’s 15km classic race for visually impaired on 10 March, BelTA has learnt.

Yadviga Skorobogataya clocked 55:46.5, 6:36.3 behind leader Elena Remizova of the Russian Federation whose time was 49:10.2. Another Russian representative, Mikhalina Lysova, won silver in 51:49.7 (+1:37.3).

Only four athletes took part in the event. The only skier who was left without a medal was Canada’s Margarita Gorbounova.

Yadviga Skorobogataya is the most award-winning athlete in the Belarusian squad in Sochi.

Another Belarusian Larisa Voronina (LW8) had a chance to get onto the podium in the women’s 15km classic standing. However, she missed out on bronze and took fourth place despite being third for some time during the event. Russia’s Anna Milenina beat Larisa Voronina and took bronze (+1:38.1). Sweden’s Helene Ripa (LW2; 49:49.2) claimed gold and Ukraine’s Iuliia Batenkova (LW6) bagged silver, 3.9 seconds back. Some 11 athletes finished the race.

On the men’s side Belarus failed to win any medals on 10 March. In the men’s 20km standing Sergei Volchunovich (LW6) was 11th, 9:55.5 back. Russia’s Rushan Minnegulov (LW8) won the race in 50:55.1. Vasily Shapteboi, who took men’s 7.5km biathlon bronze for visually impaired on the first day of the Paralympics, did not finish in men's 20km classic (visually impaired) on 10 March. Canada’s Brian Mckeever (B3) won that event in 52:37.1 followed by Stanislav Chokhlaev of Russia and Zebastian Modin of Sweden.

At the moment Belarus are 14th in the medal tally with two bronze medals. On 11 March Belarusians will take part in biathlon events.