Siarhei Shchurko: We expect Belarusan team to win medals, but we shouldn’t overestimate their number

Belarusan sportsmen are already in Sochi, whereas fans start make bets on the performance of our national team at Winter Olympics.

Belarusan team is already in Sochi, where on February 7 the Opening Ceremony of the Winter Olympics 2014 will take place. 26 Belarusan sportsmen will contend the medals in 6 disciplines. EuroBelarus Information Service reporter has asked the sportswriter Siarhei Shchurko what chances to win medals Belarusan team has.

- What are our main hopes at the Olympics?

- Our primary expectations are connected with Darya Domracheva. She is in good shape and is a leader of the world biathlon; she is constantly improving. And let us hope that this season will be her best, and these Olympic Games will fall at the peak of her biography. Besides, our freestylers’ team is traditionally strong, and Dmitri Dashinski, Alexei Grishin, Anton Kushnir are high-level international sportsmen. I think any of the freestylers can win a medal.

- Currently Nadezhda Skardino has been showing good results. What are her chances to win a medal?

- We also expect good performance from her; however, Olympic Games presuppose high psychological pressure and tough rates. So we shouldn’t overestimate physical and psychological readiness of the sportsman, though nobody excludes surprises.

- Is it possible to hit the target of 5 medals, announced by the Minister of Sport Aliaksandr Shamko, considering that the best result Belarus has ever showed at the Olympics is 3 medals?

- The statement about 5 medals is disputable. Soon after this statement the Minister added that there can be more or fewer medals. Of course, we expect medals, and can potentially win 5 of them, but we’d better not dramatize their number.

- How can you assess the situation when hockey players have missed the Olympics, taking into account that hockey is given more attention than any other kind of sport in Belarus?

- Well, we have nothing to do about that; it is not the worst thing in the history of our team. I think our hockey team has high chances at the World Championship, with Glen Hanlon as the captain.

- Is the fan support of much help to the sportsmen?

- It is an important moment, though it shouldn’t be overestimated. It is the condition of the sportsman and his readiness that are of most importance. Psychological atmosphere around him, coach and pressure play their role, too. Members of the Belarusan team are well aware of their capabilities; we have a well-balanced team. Those whom we expect to bring the medals are in their best shapes. So let us see. Olympics are capricious, but let’s hope everything will turn out for the best for us.