SPORT The Times Thursday, March 20, 2014 11 Place in Good latest rankings acceleration By Kirill Karin International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) releases latest and worthy national football team rankings, with falling to 83rd place Since the previous ranking finish was published, Georgy Kondra- tiev’s trainees have only played Belarusian road racer Alena Omelyusik once, losing to Bulgaria in Sofia — 1:2. Bulgaria moved up from performs worthily in Vuelta a El 72nd to 67th place after this vic- Salvador road race in Central America, tory (with 518 points) while Be- larus fell to 83rd position (420 occupying second place overall and top points). of mountain and sprint classifications Belarus is hosting an inter- national friendly against Iran in By Igor Grishin Cycling for Astana BePink team Austria on May 18th: Iran boasts in the Vuelta a El Salvador tourna- 692 points and is ranked 42nd. In the final, fifth stage of the -com ment, Alena won the first and sec- Belarus’ future opponents in petition (83.1km) Alena Omelyusik ond stages, and took second place the Euro 2016 qualifying tourna- finished 8th, just 3 seconds behind three times: in the prologue, and ment occupy the following places the winner: Lithuanian Inga Cilvi- third and fourth stages. This contin- in the FIFA rankings, released in naite (1 hour, 50 minutes and 7 sec- ues her success from earlier in the March: Spain is ranked 1st (with onds). The last day’s cycling did not season, during the multi-stage Tour 1,510 points), Ukraine is 18th radically affect the positions of the of Costa Rica race, in which she was (911 points), Slovakia occupies leaders, with Alena taking second third overall and won the mountain 50th place (588 points), Macedo- place overall and topping the two nomination. Ms. Omelyusik also nia is placed 82nd (421 points), most prestigious individual nomina- won the Grand Prix el Salvador this and Luxembourg stands in 120th tions: mountain and sprint events. year. Alena Omelyusik pleased with her performance place (242 points). See you in Pyeongchang Silver medal By Valentin Orlov In all, 547 (30 gold, 28 silver and 22 bronze), Paralympi- followed by Germany — 15 medals Solemn ceremony closes ans, from (9, 5, 1), Canada — 16 (7, 2, 7) and in Kontiolahti 11th Winter 45 coun- Ukraine — 25 (5, 9, 11). The nation- Paralympics-2014, tries, took al team of Ukraine was second only at Sochi’s Fisht part, compet- to Russia in its number of medals. Stadium, on March ing for 72 sets of The national team of Belarus 16th medals across five won three bronze awards, finishing The closing ceremony sporting spheres. in 18th place in the medal stand- was held under the fitting More than 300,000 ings. Vasily Shapteboy won two motto ‘Reaching the Im- tickets were sold medals in the visually impaired bi- possible’. The whole world for the competi- athlon while team veteran Yadviga has been admiring the amazing tion, which was attended by over Skorobogataya won a medal in the achievements of Paralympic ath- 2,400 print media, television and cross-country skiing for those with letes: some of their efforts seemed radio-broadcasting representatives. visual impairment. inconceivable — attained through The Russians claimed most Medals were claimed by athletes sheer strength of will and spirit. medal points, winning 80 events from 19 countries in all. Favourable draw for Another worthy basketball Darya Domracheva’s silver finish trophy for BATE By Yegor Glebov seconds behind the Finn, with 5 Turkish Istanbul hosts group missed targets. draw for Women’s FIBA World Triple Sochi-2014 Winter In 17th place was Belarus’ Basketball Championship Olympic champion Darya Nadezhda Skardino (+3 minutes The Belarusian national team Domracheva comes second 29.5 seconds; 5 misses), while Ly- are in Group C, facing squads from in 10km pursuit (four target udmila Kalinchik took 31st posi- Australia, Cuba and the Republic of ranges) at E.ON IBU World Cup tion (+4 minutes 30.3 seconds; 4 Korea. At the 2008 Olympics in Bei- 8, in Finnish Kontiolahti misses) and Anastasiya Dubor- jing, they beat Korea 63:53 but lost to Finnish biathlete Kaisa ezova was 51st (+5 minutes 49.7 Australia 63:84. Our squad was also Mäkäräinen won the event, hav- seconds; 6 misses). defeated by the Australians — 59:83 ing also taken gold in two sprint Darya Domracheva showed — during their debut at the 2010 races. Third place went to Russian the best marksmanship of all in World Championship in the Czech . Ms. Mäkäräinen the pursuit and was fourth fast-

Republic. Belarus came fourth, los- BELTA took the lead immediately, setting est around the track. Her medal ing to Spain in the match for bronze Super Сup in winners’ hands off from first position. Despite is her 56th in the World Cup: 18 — 68:77. By Igor Grishin feated Minsk FC — winner of the Be- two misses at the target ranges, gold and 18 silver, as well as 20 Group A comprises Brazil, Japan, larus Cup in 2013. The score was just she finished in 30 minutes and 52 bronze. In the all-round stand- Spain and the Czech Republic, while BATE Borisov footballers win 1:0, with the victorious goal scored seconds. Darya Domracheva set ings for the World Cup 2013/14 Group B is composed of Mozam- Belarus’ Super Cup for fourth during the 20th minute, by Borisov off from 20th position and man- season, she remains in third place bique, Turkey, France and Canada. time club newcomer Filip Mladenović. aged to catch the leaders, assum- (650 points), behind Tora Berg- Group D will see Serbia, China, USA The Super Cup match has opened This was the fifth Super Cup ing second position before too er of Norway (724), and Kaisa and Angola battling. a new football season in Belarus, match — won four times by BATE: long, thanks to her legendary fast Mäkäräinen (781). The Finn was The three best teams from each with Belarus’ ten-time champion in 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014. Gomel skiing. She hit every target until fantastically successful during her quartet will continue through to the BATE Borisov winning the honorary took the cup in 2012. BATE receive the final range and was just one home cup stage in Kontiolahti. next round, to be hosted by Turkey trophy. Playing on artificial turf at a Br70m cheque while the runner up minute behind Kaisa. Olga Zait- However, the struggle for the Big from September 27th to October 5th. Minsk’s Football Manege, BATE de- takes Br30m. seva was a full minute and 53.4 Crystal Globe continues.