Opinions & Interviews

NOC secretary general hails Belarus’ performance in Paris as successful

MINSK, 16 August (BelTA) – Team Belarus did very well at the Olympic Games in Paris, Secretary General of the NOC of Belarus Ksenia Sankovich said on the air of the ONT TV channel, BelTA has learned.

At the Olympic Games in Paris, Team Belarus won one gold, two silver and one bronze medals. Two medals out of four were earned in trampoline gymnastics: Ivan Litvinovich defended the title of Olympic champion and Viyaleta Bardzilouskaya took silver. Yauheni Zalaty won silver in men's single sculls and Yauheni Tsikhantsou became a bronze medalist in the 102kg weightlifting event.

"In my opinion, the performance was a success. Team Belarus was small [17 athletes] and won 4 medals, more than ever. We have very small, yet they did very well," Ksenia Sankovich said. "The guys who finished fourth, fifth, seventh or eighth places fought hard and proved they were not tourists in Paris."

Thirteen Belarusian athletes finished in the top 10, the NOC secretary general. "Athletes who are in the Olympic top 10 are always medal hopefuls," she said.

According to her, the pressure on Belarusian athletes played in their favor. "I think that it was the difficult situation that our athletes found themselves that has borne fruit. The athletes were even more motivated and performed with a passion. They had something to prove, they had something to perform for. Because they were well aware that they had come to represent their country," Ksenia Sankovich emphasized. “There is always inner determination. They understood that there was no room for error and that they needed to show the result right now as there would be no second chance."

print version

make home page

add to bookmarks