27 teams from all over the Vitebsk region gathered for the regional Spartakiad of civil servants
The fourth regional sports event for civil servants, held at the "Druzhba" children's health resort of the unitary enterprise "Vitebskoblgaz", brought together 27 teams led by the chairmen of city and district executive committees and heads of administrations of the regional center.
The solemn opening of the competition was attended by the Chairman of the regional executive committee Nikolai Sherstnev, General Director of the RUP "Vitebskoblgaz", member of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus Petr Shershen, and Deputy Chairman of the regional executive committee Vladimir Penin.
Nikolai Nikolaevich wished all participants to show high results and avoid injuries.
-- Once again, we have gathered to test our strength, to demonstrate our skills in those sports that each of us cultivates. It is gratifying that civil servants of the Vitebsk region, through their attitude towards sports, are an example for many citizens today. Over the two years that we have been holding these sports events, the level of sportsmanship has significantly increased, and the results in all disciplines have improved – this indicates that the participants train regularly, -- emphasized the head of the region. -- We hold sports events at the best sports bases in the Vitebsk region so that the chairmen of executive committees are inspired to create such facilities in their districts. And I am sure that they will appear.
Nikolai Nikolaevich also spoke about the construction of sports facilities in the region: by the end of the year, it is planned to commission a multifunctional sports and recreation complex in Ushachi, and to begin the construction of a trampoline hall in Vitebsk, as this sport has excellent coaching staff, magnificent athletes, and rich traditions.
-- In each city, we will introduce small gyms for fitness, strength sports, and most importantly, for the large-scale development of physical culture, we will open outdoor workout areas. We will identify about 10 enterprises for the production of equipment for such sites, and they should be launched in every school, literally in every courtyard, -- noted N. Sherstnev.
The honorable right to light the Spartakiad flame was given to the legendary Vitebsk wrestler, Olympic silver medalist Igor Kanygin.
On the very first game day, several sets of awards were contested. The most accurate team in pneumatic rifle shooting was the team of the administration of the Zheleznodorozhny district, the second place was taken by employees of the Gorodok district executive committee, the third place was won by the regional executive committee, and the team of the administration of the Pervomaisky district stopped just one point short of a prize-winning place, which only confirms that the competition at the Spartakiad was extremely high, and the slightest mistake significantly affected the final result. In the individual shooting competition, the heads of the administration of the Zheleznodorozhny district, Yuri Panfilov, and the head of the tourism and sports and recreation sector of the sports and tourism department of the regional executive committee, Svetlana Astanina, took first place.
The fight for medals in badminton was no less fierce, where the Gorodok district executive committee proved to be the strongest. Despite the windy weather, the participants managed to show a high level of play.
-- The weather is conducive to fully dedicating oneself to sports, to being more active. The executive committee team systematically prepared for the Spartakiad, conducted training sessions. Unfortunately, we did not perform with an optimal lineup -- some of our employees, who proved themselves excellently in past competitions, missed these events due to injuries, and our kettlebell lifter Dmitry Timoshenko moved to work in another organization, -- noted the chairman of the executive committee Viktor Nikolaikin after winning the first round of the badminton competition.
The final and most anticipated event of the day was the competition of strongmen – the bench press competition. The initial weight of the barbell was 70 kilograms, but very soon it exceeded a hundred, and the participants skillfully used their attempts and conquered the milestones of 115, 120, and even 140 kilograms. The favorite of the competition, Nikolay Sherstnev, systematically overcame the marks of 150 and 160 kilograms, and then bench pressed a barbell weighing 167.5 kilograms, which no athlete in his age category had managed to do before. But this was not enough for the chairman of the regional executive committee, and to the applause of the spectators, Nikolay Nikolaevich set a new record of Belarus among 50-59-year-old athletes: he bench pressed a 170-kilogram barbell! The second place in this discipline was taken by the deputy head of the department of education, sports and tourism of the Beshenkovichi District Executive Committee Alexander Erashov (150 kilograms). Vladimir Sherstnev, who performed out of competition, showed the same result. And the third place was shared by the first deputy head of the administration of the Oktyabrsky district Viktor Galanov and the deputy head of the department of education, sports and tourism of the Gorodok District Executive Committee Alexey Gamzyuk.
By the way, the previous record of Belarus in bench press was also set by N. Sherstyov – at the "Slavic Cup of Powerlifting" held recently in Novka. At these competitions, the head of the region conquered the mark of 165 kilograms, which is the standard for Master of Sports of the Russian Federation. And, according to Vladimir Katashuk, Chairman of the Presidium of the Belarusian Federation of Kettlebell Lifting and Power Juggling, documents for awarding the corresponding title are being prepared and should arrive in Vitebsk soon.
The chairman of the regional executive committee was also unrivaled in kettlebell lifting, the competitions for which were held on Sunday. Nikolai Nikolaevich pushed the two-pood projectile 53 times in a minute (only four lifts short of the world record)!
On the final day of the Spartakiad, the fate of the medals in volleyball competitions was decided: in the final match, the team of the Beshenkovichi District Executive Committee proved stronger than the athletes of the Postavy District Executive Committee in a tense struggle. The fight for the bronze medals was no less dramatic, with the representatives of the Shumilino District Executive Committee celebrating victory, having defeated the team of the regional executive committee.
An impressive audience gathered for the football match between the heads of district and city executive committees and administrations of the districts of Vitebsk. The team of the eastern districts of the region won with a minimal score of 1:0, and the winning goal was scored by Yuri Panfilov with an excellent shot into the far nine.
As a result, the regional executive committee team took first place in the overall standings, the staff of the Beshenkovichi District Executive Committee took second place, followed by the representatives of the Novopolotsk City Executive Committee. The Vitebsk City Executive Committee team finished eighteenth, the administration of the Oktyabrsky District showed the fifth result, the team of the administration of the Zheleznodorozhny District took tenth place, and the administration of the Pervomaisky District took seventeenth place.
The prize-winners and winners were awarded diplomas, medals, and cups by the Chairman of the Regional Council of Deputies, Chairman of the Vitebsk Region Representation of the National Olympic Committee Vladimir Terentyev, Petr Shershen, Vladimir Penin.
Closing the civil servants' spartakiad, the Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee N. Sherstnev urged officials to prepare for the next competitions, which are planned for 2018: to hone their sports skills, as well as to attract new, young employees to the teams.
Dmitry KONOKHOV. Photos by Oleg KLIMOVICH - "Vitbichi" and Anton Stepanishchev - "Vitebskiye Vesti".