MINSK, 20 March (BelTA) – The Belarusian team of 18 athletes will take part at the FISU World University Speed Skating Championships in Minsk, Director of the National Olympic Ice Training Center, Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Speed Skating Union Alexander Novakovich said at BelTA's press center, BelTA has learned.
Belarus will field 12 male and six female athletes. The leader of the team is a student of the Belarusian State University of Physical Education Ignat Golovatyuk who took part in the 23rd Winter Olympics in PyeongChang in February 2018. “Ignat Golovatyuk will compete in the 500m, 1000m, team's sprint and mass start races. We hope for his good physical form,” Alexander Novakovich said.
In his words, taking part in the competitions will be athletes from Russia, the Netherlands, Poland, Japan. “The competitions will be a great test for many national teams. Poland, Japan, the Netherlands will bring very strong athletes. Some of them were competing for the PyeongChang berths. Many of them will be among the leading skaters in Beijing in 2022,” he said.
The official training sessions at the Minsk Arena skating stadium are scheduled for 21 March. The official opening of the championships will take place on 22 March. The FISU World University Speed Skating Championships in Minsk will be held through 25 March.
