GRODNO, 13 March (BelTA) – World champion in scratch cycling Yauheni Karaliok of Belarus and his first coach were honored in an official ceremony in Grodno, BelTA has learned.
Yauheni Karaliok, a native of Grodno, a student of Grodno's Olympic Reserve School No.1, claimed gold in the 15km Men's Scratch event at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Berlin in February 2020. Thus, he became two-time world champion. Following the world championships, Belarus won the Olympic national license in cycling on track. Yauheni Karaliok is one of the main candidates to Team Belarus for the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
“It is pleasant that the motherland remembers and supports me. Such an attitude motivates me to reach new heights. My plans? I want to continue working and improving myself. My major goal now is to make it to the Olympic Games,” Yauheni Karaliok said.
“Such victories are not just a personal success of an athlete. They are the greatest achievement for Grodno and Grodno Oblast and a reason for the whole country to be proud of,” Chairman of the Grodno Oblast Executive Committee Vladimir Kravtsov noted.
Both Yauheni Karaliok and his couch Mikhail Panasik were presented with diplomas and prizes from the regional and city authorities. “It is important to spot a potential star at a young age, find an approach to a child and help bring out the best in him. It is hard to overestimate the role of a coach in the development of an athlete,” Vladimir Kravtsov emphasized.
The coach recalled that he spotted Yauheni's potential almost at once. But there was no track in Grodno. Mikhail Panasik persuaded Yauheni to go to Minsk and try his luck there. As a result almost from the first races the sportsman started to win. “Yauheni's potential has not been yet fully used either on track or road. He is highly physically trained, motivated and hard working. There are a lot of wins ahead,” the coach said.
