MINSK, 26 June (BelTA) – A ceremony to award a silver medal of the 2008 Olympic Games to Belarusian wrestler Murad Gaidarov took place as part of the wrestling tournament of the 2nd European Games in Minsk Sports Palace, BelTA has learned.
“It is great to receive the medal at home. The initial plans were to award me at the world championship in Budapest in 2018. I am currently in training. Several months ago I won a tournament. I plan to take part in the world championship in Kazakshtan and win,” Murad Gaidarov told the media.
At the 2008 Olympic Games the Belarusian freestyle wrestler won bronze in the 74kg category. Following the retesting of doping samples, Uzbekistan's Soslan Tigiev was stripped off his silver medal.
The European Games wrestling tournament is running in the Minsk Sports Palace. Belarusian athlete Azamat Nurykau (74kg) will fight for the bronze medal, Ali Shabanau (86kg) for the gold. Three-time silver medalist of the European championships Aliaksandr Hushtyn will compete to advance to the finals.
The tournament will finish on 30 June. It features 288 athletes competiting in 18 medal events.
Photos by Denis Kostyuchenko
