The prize-winners of the 2014 European and World Trampoline Championships were awarded at Vitebsk Youth Sports School No. 2

A solemn ceremony honoring athletes and coaches — prize-winners of the 2014 continental and world championships in trampoline gymnastics — was held at the SDYUSSHOR No. 2.

— Almost a year ago, after the team's performance at the European Championship, we met with the team at the regional executive committee, and then discussed plans for 2014: we not only predicted the athletes' performance at various competitions but also decided to purchase new sports equipment, — noted Vladimir Terentyev, Deputy Chairman of the Regional Executive Committee. — Now we can summarize that the tasks were fulfilled both by the athletes — over the year they won 17 medals at planetary and continental starts — and by the authorities — in December, the school received new European standard equipment worth about 600 million rubles. Athletes were not forgotten: Anna Gorchenok, Nikolai Kazak, Vladislav Goncharov became scholarship holders of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, and their mentors — the head coach of the Belarusian national team Olga Vlasova received the medal "For Labor Merits", documents for the award of coach Vasily Shulikin are under consideration by the Council of Ministers. By the way, A. Gorchenok and O. Vlasova received the high title "Person of the Year of Vitebsk Region-2014", N. Kazak became an Honored Master of Sports of Belarus.

During the award ceremony, Vladimir Terentyev presented letters of appreciation from the regional executive committee for high sports achievements and for personal contribution to the development of physical culture and sports in the region to coaches Svetlana Pashkovskaya and Natalia Lebedeva. Vasily Shulikin was awarded letters of appreciation from the regional executive committee for his significant contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, professionalism, and training of high-class athletes. Nikolay Kazak, Anna Gorchenok, and Vladislav Goncharov were awarded honorary diplomas from the regional executive committee for high sports achievements and significant contribution to the development of physical culture and sports. Olga Vlasova was awarded an honorary diploma from the regional executive committee for high sports achievements and a special contribution to the development of physical culture and sports, and training of high-level athletes.

— It is very pleasant to receive an award, but we have no time to rest: training camps and a match meeting with the German team are ahead, and in June – the main event, the European Games, — noted A. Gorchenok. — Due to the large number of competitions last year, it is currently difficult to gain form, but I plan to be fully prepared by the summer.

As O. Vlasova noted, this year will also be eventful: there will be many competitions, including the qualification for the 2015 Olympic Games. Our athletes plan to win three licenses to participate in the main four-year competition, which will be held in Rio de Janeiro.

Dmitry KONOKHOV, "Vitbichi"