SPORT The Minsk Times Thursday, July 14, 2011 11 Climbing up football Happy number seven rankings Czech Brno sees Belarus national team placed 40th by FIFA draw for Men’s Bernd Stange’s trainees have played two qualifi cation matches for World Handball Euro-2012 since the last rankings Championship were announced in May. Belarus drew against France (1:1) and de- By Yuri Karpenko feated Luxembourg (2:0) — jumping 13 places and earning 636 points. Belarus is in Group 7, with Ro- Belarus’ rivals for Euro-2012 mania and Luxembourg. It is yet to qualifi cation are France (15th — be seen whether number seven will with 920 points), Bosnia and Herze- turn out to be lucky for Yuri Shevts- govina (39th — with 642), Romania ov and his trainees. (53rd — with 571), Albania (59th — Th e fi nals of the World Cham- with 524) and Luxembourg (128th pionship are to be held in January — with 213 points). 2013. For Belarus to participate, it Of the former USSR coun- needs to go through the initial stage tries, Belarus yields only to Russia and the play-off round, to be held — placed 17th. Th e top fi ve world next June. Th e previous qualifi ca- leaders are Spain, Holland, Germa- tion round was a complete failure ny, England and Brazil — of the June for the Belarusian squad, as they lost rankings’ 207 national squads. in the fi rst round of their fi rst offi cial tournament, to Cyprus and Switzer- More chances land, making it their last! However, fate has been kind to the Belarusian players, giving them the chance for medals to show improvement in a match Programme of 2014 Olympics, against Switzerland on the way to BELTA to be held in Sochi, expanded Euro-2012. Th e team managed to Belarusian handball team forward Boris Pukhovsky attacks with addition of three new defeat their rival but still failed to by one city over three days (as has based on the results of teams’ seed- mania in two friendly matches in disciplines — one promising reach the European forum fi nals. been traditional) but across several ing. Th e strongest are to play a home Brest but lost in Karpaty Trophy in for Belarus Th e qualifi cation rounds for the locations from November to Janu- match with their nearest rival (e.g. their away match. However, it was Th e International Olympic Com- World Championship are to be held ary. Following the draw, a calendar Romania with Belarus). a ‘purely’ Belarusian team, with no mittee has approved freestyle slope- under a new format, hosted not just of the dates has been approved, Just last year, Belarus beat Ro- foreign players. style, snowboarding slopestyle and slalom snowboarding to join the Ol- ympic sporting list. As emphasised Nadezhda by IOC President Jacques Rogge, From Detroit Red Wings slopestyle (where snowboarders and Ostapchuk skiers perform aerobatic tricks as they travel downhill) has acquired to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl leads world enormous popularity over recent years. and Colorado — 917 NHL matches, season Belarus traditionally does well scoring 204 points. in ski aerobatics, so could enrich its Currently, Ruslan leads among By Yuri Kovalev medals crop at the coming Olympics, Belarusians for playing the largest although none of Belarus’ leading number of matches in the NHL (the Zhukovsky, Russia, hosts freestyle jumpers — Dmitry Dash- world’s strongest hockey league). Znamensky Brothers Athletics chinsky, Alexey Grishin and Anton He is also a record-setter among Memorial Tournament (IAAF Kushnir — have ever performed in his countrymen for the number of World Challenge round) this discipline. However, the strong Stanley Cup matches. Salei has par- Belarus’ Nadezhda Ostap- training basis of the Belarusian free- ticipated in three Olympics and six chuk won the shot-putt, showing style jumping school and high grade world championships, playing for the best result of the season in skills of our jumping skiers could en- the Belarusian national squad (elite the world: of her two attempts, able one (or all) to qualify in slope- division). In 2003 and 2004, he was one reached 20.94m, topping the style. Th ey have three years ahead. named best Belarusian ice hockey world record. Th e IOC is considering adding a player. “Being a leader imposes certain team tournament in mountain ski- At the end of this season, it obligations,” she smiled, after the ing to the Olympic programme but was informed that Salei was leav- tournament. “I’m expected to pro- Ruslan Salei known for many hockey records the fi nal decision is yet to be taken. ing Detroit, as the heads of the club duce high results. After 15 years in Belarusian national hockey the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings, on a expressed no plans for any exten- sports, I’m no longer threatened team defenseman Ruslan $1.1m contract for one year, start- sion of his contract. According to by this challenge. However, my Silver from Salei to play next season in ing in summer 2010. He earned the media, Salei wanted to stay in rivals are also highly motivated Continental Hockey League ten points across 75 matches in the the NHL with a club located not far as a result. My hard work is bear- Ankara Russian club Lokomotiv, from regular 2010/11 championship, plus from California, to stay close to his ing fruit and, honestly, my success European Boxing Yaroslavl, has confi rmed its one-year scored one goal across 11 matches family. Anaheim was considered a has arrived even earlier than my Championship, hosted by contract with the Belarusian player. in the play-off stage. Salei has previ- favourite but, in the end, Lokomotiv coach and I anticipated. This year, Turkey, sees Magomed Ruslan Salei, 36, spent last year with ously played with Anaheim, Florida ‘won’ the new-comer. my training began later, due to an Nurudinov capture silver injury; however, this may have ac- In the semi-fi nals, Nurudinov tually given me a relaxed state of faced France’s Adriani Vastine, who Highest summit of her career mind that has borne results.” had not performed brightly at top Two other Belarusians took level events before. More experi- By Kirill Karin Vera Zvonoreva of Russia holds part in the long jump: Anastasia enced Magomed showed his higher third position. Wimbledon win- Mironchik-Ivanova came third class, easily defeating the French Victoria Azarenko climbs to ner Czech Petra Kvitova has fl own while Veronika Shutkova was boxer, but saw less success in the fourth position in world tennis from 8th to 7th position while fi - placed fourth. Anis Ananenko also fi nals. United Kingdom champion rankings nalist Maria Sharapova of Russia came fourth, in the 800m sprint. Fred Evans began with immediate Th e top Belarusian tennis is up from 6th to 5th. Th e WTA Meanwhile, in French Sotte- and sustained attack, winning 10:5 player, previously placed fi ft h, has top hundred also includes Belarus’ ville, Belarusians captured four aft er two rounds — to the regret of moved up a step following her Anastasia Yekimova (93rd place) medals. Pavel Krivitsky won the Belarusian fans. As a result, Evans Wimbledon semi-fi nals. Showing and Olga Govortsova (96th). hammer-throwing and Yuri Sha- won the second Euro-2011 gold for the brightest result of her career, Among the men, Serbian No- yunov came second. Two medals Wales. Just several minutes before- Victoria earned 6,465 points. First vak Djokovic is seeded fi rst, having went to our 800m female run- hand, Andrew Selby of Wales be- place still belongs to Denmark’s defeated Spanish Rafael Nadal in ners: Marina Arzamasova finished came the country’s fi rst continental Caroline Wozniacki (9,915) fol- the Wimbledon fi nals — the previ- BELTA second while Svetlana Usovich champion. lowed by Belgian Kim Clijsters. ous world leader. Victoria Azarenko claimed bronze..