Rio 2016. Maryia Mamashuk won a silver medal in Freestyle Wrestling

Today on August 18 Belarusian wrestler Maryia Mamashuk became the silver medalist of the Olympic Games, according to the NOC of Belarus.

The Belarusian wrestler in 63kg division, winner of the European Wrestling Championship and the Baky 2015 medalist Maryia Mamashuk overwhelmed Kazakh opponent Yekaterina Larionova in 1/8 final (8:2) and Swedish rival Katarina Johansson in 1/4 final (7:2). The semifinal was also a success for her since she prevailed the US athlete Elena Pirozhkova (3:2).

The decisive fight with Japanese Risako Kawai for gold medal resulted in bitter defeat for Maryia (6:0). Risako was an extremely serious rival, as she remains the Asian champion and World medalist. However, Maryia was the second to climb the victory podium.

Mamashuk was the President’s Sports Club scholar for 3 years.

She joined the previous medalist among Belarusian Olympians to make the “Olympic choice”. Upon her choice, the President’s Sports Club will transfer 10000 Br to the Children and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve under Gomel Carriage Building Factory trade union. The money are to be spend on upbringing of new wrestler generation. Three-time President’s Sports Club scholar Maryia Mamashuk started her career right there. 

According to the terms of the project “Olympic choice”, the President’s sports club will entitle every Olympian in Rio to opt for a specialized children and youth sports school to provide it with financial voluntary sponsorship aid. Then the President’s sports club will transfer a certain sum of money to the account of the school (the sum depends on the athlete or team’s achievements).

The correlation between achievements and sponsorship is as following:

1st place – 15.000 Br

2nd place – 10.000 Br

3rd place – 7.500 Br

According to sources from the President’s sports club, the amount of financial sponsorship aid is increased by 50%. The sports schools will be able to modernize their equipment or encourage more athletes to participation in competitions. “Olympic choice” will be launched under the aegis of the NOC of Belarus and Ministry of Sport and Tourism.

The President's Sports Club press center

Now the National Team counts 6 awards: a gold medal (U. Hancharou, Trampoline), three silver (D. Naumava and V. Straltsou, Weightlifting; Maryia Mamashuk, Freestyle Wrestling) and two bronze ones (A. Herasimenia, Swimming; Javid Hamzatau, Wrestling Greco-Roman).