MINSK, 4 August (BelTA) - IAAF World Championships 2017 get underway in London on 4 August. Taking part in the 16th edition of the competition will be 16 Belarusian sportsmen, BelTA has learned.
Irina Zhuk will be the first on Team Belarus to compete in London in women's pole vault qualifying in the evening of 4 August. Other members of the Belarusian team are Alina Talay, Elvira German (both - women's 100m hurdles), Tatyana Kholodovich (javelin throw), Anna Malyshik (hammer throw), Aliona Dubitskaya, Yulia Leantsiuk (both – shot put), Marina Arzamasova (800m), Anastasiya Yatsevich (20km race walk), Pavel Meleshko (javelin throw), Sergei Kolomoyets, Pavel Boreisha, Zakhar Makhrosenko (all – javelin throw), Aleksei Nichipor (shot put), Dmitry Diubin, Alexander Lyakhovich (both – 20km race walk).
Belarus picked up two medals at the previous world championships in Beijing two years ago, both in women's running events. Marina Arzamasova claimed gold in 800m, Alina Talay won bronze in 100m hurdles.
IAAF World Championships London 2017 brought together over 2,000 sportsmen from 205 countries. Nineteen Russian athletes will compete as neutrals. Russia has been suspended from international competitions due to doping allegations ahead of the 2016 Summer Olympics. Prior to the opening of the 2017 championships, participants of the IAAF congress extended the provisional suspension of the All-Russia Athletics Federation (ARAF) from its IAAF membership.
