Tatsiana Lukashevich: The main thing is that Belarusan sporting establishment doesn’t lose its head

The victories of Belarusan sportswomen should make us think about the future of Belarusan sport, notably about the question of who will go to the next Olympics.

Triumphal four medals provoked a stormy reaction among Belarusan fans. Let us recall that so far, Belarusan athletes earned three gold medals, with a bronze medal to add to the count. Thus, after Darya Domracheva's win in the 10-kilometer pursuit event on February 11, she also won the women's biathlon 15-kilometer individual gold medal, followed by her fellow Belarusan Nadezhda Skardino who won a bronze medal. Hours later, Alla Tsuper won gold for Belarus in the women's aerials competition.

Tatsiana Lukashevish, a sports journalist, talked with EuroBelarus Information Service about the conclusions which can be made from our achievements at the Olympics.

- Did the medals won by Belarusan team result from hard work or from mere luck?

- Of course, it is the result of work, though timetable played its role, too – in one day we got a rain of medals. Still, considering all the factors, we could have only dreamt about the gold medal won by Alla Tsuper; thus, luck played its role, too.

- Still, can we say that the medals are personal achievements of the sportswomen or they rather result from well-based Belarusan sporting industry?

- We can’t consider these Olympic Games to be the achievement of the Belarusan sport, though Belarusan freestyle school is very strong, and our sportsmen are able to compete at every Olympics. As to biathlon, Darya Domracheva was trained in Russia, as well as Nadeshda Skardino.

The tendencies of performances and wins indicate quite the opposite: juvenile sport and children’s sporting schools are neglected in Belarus. So it can turn out that the Olympic Games in Sochi will become the peak of Belarusan sports, and it will be hard to achieve better results at next Winter Olympics.

- We do have flaws in our work with sportsmen at initial stages, don’t we?

- Right. And that is the result of many factors: low salaries for trainers, redundancy in the sporting industry, poor resource base, such as team practice sessions, diet and equipment.

It is nice to feel excited about the success of Belarus at these Olympic Games; but we have to think who we will send to Korea in 4 years? Freestylers will finish their career by that time. Darya Domracheva won’t be able to perform forever, too. And the niche following today’s Belarusan sportsmen is almost empty. Our today’s wins have to give us an impetus to prepare talented sportsmen in 4-8 years.

- Will there be higher demands to the achievements of our sportsmen in the future?

- Remember the much talked-about “medal plan”, which consisted in winning five medals, whereas Belarus’ most successful performance at the Winter Olympics had only brought us three medals earlier. However, we practically fulfilled the announced norm. Now the main thing is that Belarusan sporting establishment doesn’t lose its head after Sochi and doesn’t create an unachievable medal plan. The appetite will be growing, but it is important that we remain temperate and objective in our desires.

Tatsiana Lukashevich: The main thing is that Belarusan sporting establishment doesn’t lose its head after Sochi

The victories of Belarusan sportswomen should make us think about the future of Belarusan sport, notably about the question of who will go to the next Olympics.

Triumphal four medals provoked a stormy reaction among Belarusan fans. Let us recall that so far, Belarusan athletes earned three gold medals, with a bronze medal to add to the count. Thus, after Darya Domracheva's win in the 10-kilometer pursuit event on February 11, she also won the women's biathlon 15-kilometer individual gold medal, followed by her fellow Belarusan Nadezhda Skardino who won a bronze medal. Hours later, Alla Tsuper won gold for Belarus in the women's aerials competition.

Tatsiana Lukashevish, a sports journalist, talked with EuroBelarus Information Service about the conclusions which can be made from our achievements at the Olympics.

- Did the medals won by Belarusan team result from hard work or from mere luck?

- Of course, it is the result of work, though timetable played its role, too – in one day we got a rain of medals. Still, considering all the factors, we could have only dreamt about the gold medal won by Alla Tsuper; thus, luck played its role, too.

- Still, can we say that the medals are personal achievements of the sportswomen or they rather result from well-based Belarusan sporting industry?

- We can’t consider these Olympic Games to be the achievement of the Belarusan sport, though Belarusan freestyle school is very strong, and our sportsmen are able to compete at every Olympics. As to biathlon, Darya Domracheva was trained in Russia, as well as Nadeshda Skardino.

The tendencies of performances and wins indicate quite the opposite: juvenile sport and children’s sporting schools are neglected in Belarus. So it can turn out that the Olympic Games in Sochi will become the peak of Belarusan sports, and it will be hard to achieve better results at next Winter Olympics.

- We do have flaws in our work with sportsmen at initial stages, don’t we?

- Right. And that is the result of many factors: low salaries for trainers, redundancy in the sporting industry, poor resource base, such as team practice sessions, diet and equipment.

It is nice to feel excited about the success of Belarus at these Olympic Games; but we have to think who we will send to Korea in 4 years? Freestylers will finish their career by that time. Darya Domracheva won’t be able to perform forever, too. And the niche following today’s Belarusan sportsmen is almost empty. Our today’s wins have to give us an impetus to prepare talented sportsmen in 4-8 years.

- Will there be higher demands to the achievements of our sportsmen in the future?

- Remember the much talked-about “medal plan”, which consisted in winning five medals, whereas Belarus’ most successful performance at the Winter Olympics had only brought us three medals earlier. However, we practically fulfilled the announced norm. Now the main thing is that Belarusan sporting establishment doesn’t lose its head after Sochi and doesn’t create an unachievable medal plan. The appetite will be growing, but it is important that we remain temperate and objective in our desires.