February was packed with various regional and national sports competitions. And not just in winter sports. Judokas from the Lepel Children and Youth Sports School of Olympic Reserve "Asilak" of the regional trade union sports club also took an active part in them.
The most significant sports duels had to be fought in Baranovichi at the Belarusian Championship among schoolchildren born in 1996-1998. Especially since its winners and prize-winners immediately got the opportunity to participate in upcoming European and World Championships and compete with their foreign peers. It is gratifying to note that as a result of uncompromising sports struggle, this honorable right was won by Yevgeny Mikhno from Lepel, who took third place in the weight category up to 55 kilograms. He has been selected for the training group and will purposefully improve his sports skills to worthily represent Belarus outside our country.
At the Vitebsk Regional Championship in Polotsk, our trainees Dmitry Gruk and Anna Gonchar won. Grigory Dubko won third place. Our compatriot Alena Kamotskaya also climbed to the third step of the podium.
As for the younger athletes, a special regional tournament was organized for them in February. The ancient city of Polotsk, with its glorious historical past and excellent sports traditions, was chosen as the venue for its holding. Boys born in 1999 and younger were admitted to the competition.
From the very beginning of the fierce sports struggle that unfolded on the tatami, Artyom Glushonok and Nikita Sannikov took the lead in our team. They managed to defeat all their rivals from other regions of the Dvina land, becoming the winners of the competition in their weight categories. Ilya Levko won second place. Third place in the final tournament standings was awarded to Yegor Leshchenok, Nikita Starovoytov, Alexander Pashkevich, and Vlad Pshonka.
Galina POPOVA, Coach of the Children and Youth Sports School of Olympic Reserve "Asilak"