MINSK, 17 July (BelTA) – The National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Belarus honored the champions and medalists of the 1980 Moscow Olympics at its headquarter on 17 July. The event marked 40 years since the games took place, BelTA has learned.
In his opening speech, First Vice President of the NOC of Belarus Viktor Lukashenko stated that it is a great honor for him to stand next to such legends. “You are legends not only of the Soviet and national sports, but also of the international sports. Winning 33 awards at the Games in Moscow, you made a huge contribution to the USSR medal collection, becoming idols for us, our youth and children,” he said.
According to the first vice president of the NOC, in order to take part in the Olympic Games one must invest huge efforts, have will and faith in themselves, but in order to become a medalist or a champion of the Games one must also have a winning spirit. “Thanks to this winning spirit, you are still in action, passing on your experience - the invaluable thing you have - to our young generation. You teach them to be like you, and, maybe, to surpass you and win their medals at the Olympics,” added Viktor Lukashenko.
The Moscow Olympics were held on 19 July-3 August 1980. These were the first Games held in Eastern Europe. Representatives of Belarus won 33 (14 gold, 9 silver, and 10 bronze) medals at the Games 1980.
Photos by Denis Kostyuchenko
