On March 1, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. Biathlon competitions will bring together Russian and Belarusian athletes on March 5-7 in Novopolotsk, the head of the youth affairs department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, Valery Kunashko, told a BELTA correspondent. The event, dedicated to the memory of Hero of Russia, Guards Senior Lieutenant Alexei Vorobyov, a native of Novopolotsk, will be held at the Novopolotsk State Olympic Reserve School. Young biathletes from the Olympic reserve schools of Belarus and teams from Novopolotsk's twin cities from Odintsovo, Orekhovo-Zuyevo, Kstovo, Pushkino, Pavlovsk, Dmitrovsky District of Moscow, Elektrostal, and Pskov, Russia, are invited to participate. In total, about 100 athletes are expected to compete in two age categories: participants born in 1995-1996 and 1997-1998. On the first competition day, young men and women will compete in a sprint race with shooting at distances of 6 km and 4 km, and on the second day, they will participate in a mixed relay. The winners of the competition will be determined by the jury in individual and team standings. They will be awarded medals, certificates, and valuable prizes. The teams that take prize-winning places will receive cups and certificates. The event is designed to promote biathlon, attract youth to a healthy lifestyle, foster their patriotic education, strengthen friendly ties between athletes, countries, and twin cities, and promote the exchange of experience in sports and youth policy. The competitions are established by the youth affairs department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee and the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee. Alexei Vorobyov served as deputy commander of a reconnaissance company of the 104th Guards Air Assault Red Banner Regiment of the 76th Guards Air Assault Chernihiv Red Banner Division. He died on March 1, 2000, in Chechnya in a battle against superior enemy forces: while breaking through the encirclement, he received a severe wound and, sacrificing himself, covered the retreat of his subordinates. A memorial plaque has been installed in Novopolotsk in his memory. It is planned that his father will attend the opening of the competitions. -0-

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