Belarus NOC president congratulates biathletes on successful performance at Best Athletes Cup in Raubichi

President of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Belarus Viktor Lukashenko met with the Belarusian national biathlon team to congratulate on their successful performance at the Best Athletes Cup in Raubichi.

The meeting was held at the RaubichiOlympic Winter Sports Center on 26 February.Attending the event were alsoDeputy Sport and Tourism Minister Aleksandr Baraulya and Chairman of the Belarusian Biathlon Federation Andrian Tsibulsky.

“We decided to come here without inviting you to official events at the Olympic Committee or the Sport and Tourism Ministry with a view to preserving a homely and heartfelt atmosphere. First of all, thank you very much for giving us, our Belarus, such a celebration.The Best Athletes Cup is much like the World Championship. Emotions are just the same. Starting from the race, where Anton Smolski was first to win with a big advantage, and ending with the race, where Dzmitry Lazouski clinched silver at the finish line. Every moment, not only for us, sports officials, but also for the whole country, all sports fans, is a truesport holiday. We remembered the emotions we had when we were cheering for our team at the world level. This once again encourages us, sports officials, to do everything possible to bring you back the world’s bigsport arenas. I am sure that you will take high places there. As we talked with the Russian sports minister the other day, we agreed that the big and the best part of the world biathlon gathered for the Best Athletes Cup here. You proved it. With your emotions, your desire to achieve victory no matter what, you have shown courage, determination, which motivates not only the young generation of biathletes, but also other athletes and ordinary people to do good things for the sake of our country, for the sake of our loved ones and friends,” Viktor Lukashenko said.

The NOC head expressed his gratitude to the coaches, servicemen, and doctors - the whole team that took part in the preparation of this biathlon event–and also to the staff of the Raubichi center. They managed to organize everything in a short period of time, to supply enough snow to turn our Raubichi into snowy Alps, and to secure the best organization of the event.

Deputy Sport and Tourism Minister Aleksandr Baraulyaread out the message of greetings from Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko.

The athletes and coaches were presented with money certificates of the NOC of Belarus, the sport and Tourism Ministryand the Belarusian Biathlon Federation.

Head of the Belarusian Biathlon Federation Andrian Tsibulsky noted that it is impossible to achieve success without the well-coordinated work of the coaching staff, servicemen and doctors.

“It is an honor for the federation to celebrate the coaches, doctors and servicemen today.I am especially pleased that our coaches have developed a good team, which includes both experienced athletes and talented youth. Coaches end their careers when they stop evolving.I wish you to keep going and to reach new heights.I am sure that we will gather many more times to congratulate you onamazing victories,” Andrian Tsybulsky said.

Anton Smolski,the winner of three gold medals in individual races of the Best Athletes Cup, promised on behalf of the whole team to keep working hard and do their best to continue to inspire the fans with great results.

“I am glad that we gavesomething to our fans to celebrate. The conditions here in Raubichi are very good. Both athletes and fans got lucky with the weather. It was a real celebration of sport!It is great that our results were recognized at such a high level. On behalf of the whole team I want to assure you: we will do our best to continue to make our loyal fans happy.I would like to wish our biathlon to develop further.A lot of thanks to the head of state, who always supports athletes. We will be doing our best,” Anton Smolski said.

Press service of the NOC of Belarus
Photos by the NOC of Belarus