Today in the concert hall of the Volga region Academy of sports held a ceremony honoring the main characters of the sports industry of the Republic "Athlete of the year". Among the winners of the main nomination graduate of the Academy skier Andrew Stalls and probationist, a fourth-year student Oleg Dontsov.
Among those who went on stage this evening to give the nominees prizes and diplomas were legendary Russian athletes swimmer Alexander Popov and gymnast Alexei Nemov. Well, the winners of the main nomination (in addition to Larkov and Dontsov among the best athletes of the year included figure skater Yevgeny Tarasov and Paralympic Martha zainullina) received memorable statuettes from the hands of Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, who went on stage and addressed the audience in the hall.
- Dear athletes, heads of federations. Dear veterans and guests of Moscow. I sincerely want to thank you for your contribution to the glorification of the Republic. Each of your victories is a victory of Tatarstan and the Russian Federation as a whole. Today, much is being done in the Republic infrastructural and team to support talent. This work is systematic. And we see its results. Sport is a brand of our Republic. It is not by chance that our Republic is the most athletic. And it's not my idea, it's the prize we got. Congratulations to everyone. Applause for all of us. Separate applause to the management. The government and Parliament have always paid great attention to sport. And our Federation leaders are all worthy, self-sufficient people. Here you can see the huge systematic work of each of us. I was named the head coach. And I do not refuse, but if there is no such systematic work, and such results will not be. And I have to say that we have supported and will support the sport!
As for Oleg Dontsov, the 11-time champion of Russia, the 9th racket of the world at the moment was among the nominees of the award is not accidental. This year behind students of the Academy won two stages of the Cup of Russia in both singles and doubles, another title of the champion of Russia, three bronze medals at major international tournaments in Spain, Turkey and Ireland, the bronze at the European Championships in single and vapor discharges.
In a conversation after the ceremony, the don admitted:
- Actually, it was quite unexpected for me. I learned that I got into the nomination two weeks ago. But until the end did not believe that I would find myself in such an honorable campaign. Although the year was really successful for me. Though heavy. Well, it's nice that we appreciated our work.
- What next?
- Next year selection in Japan at the 2020 Paralympic games. At the world Cup in Switzerland will need to gain maximum points.