MINSK, 14 September (BelTA) – Belarus' Andrei Pranevich and Vladimir Izotov have won gold medals at the 2016 Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, BelTA has learned.
Andrei Pranevich took gold in the Wheelchair Fencing Men's Individual Epee - Category B after he beat Iraq's Ali Ammar 15-14 in the final. Bronze went to Ukraine's Oleg Naumenko who saw off Yannick Ifebe of France 15-5.
Two Belarsuians made it into the Wheelchair Fencing Women's Individual Epee top eight. Alesya Mokritskaya lost to German's Simone Briese-Baetke 9-15 who later placed fourth in the event. Anastasia Kostyushkova lost to China's Zhou Jingjing 4-15 who claimed gold in the final.
Belarus' Vladimir Izotov won the SB12 Men's 100m breaststroke event with a new Paralympic record of 1:06.82 seconds. The Belarusian won bronze in Beijing in 2008 and silver in London in 2012. Second in SB12 Men's 100m breaststroke in Rio was Dmitry Solei of Azerbaijan (1:08.80). Bronze went to Ukraine's Dmitry Veraksa (1:09.00).
On 13 September Anna Konyuk, captain of Belarus' Paralympic athletics team, placed 5th in the T12 Women's Long Jump. Alexadner Subota was 11th in the F46 Men's Javelin Throwing.
Belarus is currently 13th in the 2016 Paralympic medal table with seven (five gold and two bronze) medals. China tops the chart with a total of 137 medals including 63 golds.
