SPORT The Minsk Times Thursday, February 19, 2009 11 Emerald order for BHC meets Dynamo’s dare Eduard Two Belarusian super-clubs in one championship — who will be the best Malofeev By Yuri Karpenko Famed football coach is Th e idea of a super-club awarded UEFA Order of in Belarus is not new. Hockey Merit in emerald could be an example. Last UEFA Secretary General summer, Dynamo Minsk be- David Taylor tells us that the came Belarus’ top squad — honorary award will be hand- although it failed to reach the ed to the Belarusian expert Continental Hockey League by UEFA’s President Michel play-off s. However, the idea Platini, at an offi cial ceremo- was then supported by hand- ny to be held on March 24th ball fans. in Copenhagen. Supporters of a super-club 66-old Malofeev currently have standard arguments. works with St. Petersburg’s Firstly, a super-club can be a Dynamo (in the second divi- national team in miniature sion of the Russian Champi- — if it has suffi cient fi nancial onship). His brightest success backing. It can dominate the was achieved in 1982, when national championship and Dynamo Minsk became oppose strong competitors USSR champion. Over his in European sports forums. long years of coaching, he has Since the players perform headed national teams in the together all the time, they USSR and Belarus, working become more cooperative. with prominent clubs like Dy- However, there are draw- namo Minsk, Fakel Voronezh, backs. If one team has all the Dynamo-Gazovik Tyumen, talented players, the others Anji Makhachkala, MTZ- lose out. RIPO Minsk, Kaunas Lithua- Before the start of the nia and Hearts Scotland. As present championship, the a player for Dynamo Minsk, Belarusian Handball Federa- BELTA Opposition of Minsk and Brest teams — Dynamo’s Yuri Khaukha attacks he became a bronze-holder tion voiced the idea of setting in the USSR Championship up a super-club — under the sia and Lithuania. faces a challenge on the part ing for the championship title. mo’s challenge. Th is is our an- in 1963, and played in 254 traditional name of Dynamo. In fact, another handball of Dynamo which is being A new head coach has been swer to our main competitor,” matches, scoring 100 goals. Th e team swift ly acquired a super-club — HC Meshkov promoted by the Federation invited to their club — Alex- asserts Alexander Meshkov. He also played 40 matches for strong line-up, with national Brest — has won the Bela- and is actively supported fi - ey Pchelyakov, known for his “I don’t want to concentrate the national team and scored team players Mikhail Nezhu- rusian Championship fi ve nancially. achievements in the Russian only on Dynamo though. six times. He participated in ra and Denis Rutenko return- times in a row. It has its own Th e Meshkov brothers, Championship, where his Lu- We have four teams shuffl ing the 1966 World Champion- ing home from abroad. Some sporting base — Victoria who created BHC, are ru- koil-Dynamo has won eight medals in the national cham- ship and in the European Cup moved over from Minsk clubs, Sports Palace — where the moured to be retiring but, not silver medals. pionship and must take all of 1968. accompanied by legionaries national team frequently per- so long ago, they announced “At the beginning of the into consideration,” believes from Moldova, Ukraine, Rus- forms. Now, this Brest club that BHC will continue fi ght- season, we accepted Dyna- Pchelyakov. Failing to raise status Silver medal with Centuries-old Belarusian women’s tennis team fails to realise its obvious rivals meet in advantage golden shimmer In Tallinn, Natalia Zver- great finals eva’s trainees beat Austria in ceived in Mont Gabriel aft er the third qualifi cation round a phenomenal jump). Sadly, — 3:0 — to fi nish fi rst in their his injury led to him missing By Kirill Karin group in the Fed Cup (Euro/ events in Mont Gabriel and African zone). Along the way, American Deer Valley (near Germany’s Dusseldorf they defeated Denmark and Salt Lake City). hosts Top-12 tournament Slovenia. Last season was the most of Europe’s best ping- Th e top four national teams successful for Anton, when pong players were competing for two tickets he was placed second in the The leader of the Be- to the World Group play-off s, World Cup. Th is year, his larusian team, Vladimir with Belarus meeting the host- complicated programme for Samsonov, is used to facing ing team of Estonia. Belarus the qualifi cation round saw a Timo Boll of Germany. At was perceived as the favourite, few mistakes — yet he gained the end of the last season, with Belarusian players hold- enough points to reach the they fought for gold at the ing higher rankings. Victoria fi nals, where he off ered the European Championship Azarenko and Olga Govorts- same combination of ele- (Boll won). This time, in ova are placed 15th and 49th ments as Omischl. Th e judges Dusseldorf, they faced each Vladimir Samsonov playing while Estonia’s best players are Anton Kushnir (L) claims medal once more liked Kushnir’s aerials bet- other in the decisive match placed 24th (Kaia Kanepi) and By Yuri Kovalev next round at Lake Placid, ter but agreed that Omischl’s of the tournament. the winner when Vladimir 109th (Ani Maret). Alla Tsuper outstripped her landings were more accurate, After a series of success- plays; the chances are al- In the Fed Cup, Belarus is Canadian Cypress competitors, while, in Cana- leading to the Canadian even- ful matches in the ¼ finals, ways 50-50. I hope my fans ranked higher than Estonia — the host of next year’s dian Mont Gabriel, Timofey tually taking fi rst place. Samsonov played against will inspire me to grab the — 28th against 45th. Alas, as Olympics — sees end of Slivets repeated his success of Another Belarusian tough rival Adrian Crisan trophy though,” smiled oft en occurs in sport, much overseas free style ski- 2006 — taking silver. — Denis Osipov — fi nished of Romania. Samsonov Boll before the match. This depended on determination jumping In Vancouver, talented seventh, repeating his suc- took the first set, and then was the 32nd match in the on the day. In the fi rst match, Belarusian aerial ski- Anton Kushnir took the cess from last year. Timofey the initiative shifted to his history of this grand oppo- Govortsova lost to Maret and jumpers have done much same number of points as Slivets failed to climb higher opponent for some time. sition and both men were then Azarenko was defeated by to surprise Belarusian fans Steve Omischl of Canada — a than 12th position. Omischl Still, Samsonov persevered equal in skill. Boll proved Estonian number one Kanepi. this year. Multi-titled Alexey unique situation! Gold went confi dently leads the general and got through to the next victorious on this occasion Th e doubles match did not af- Grishin opened the medals’ to Steve, while Anton made standings of the World Cup, round, meeting Kalinikos however. fect the fi nal result. Belarus will score in Changchun, China, do with silver. Judging by his while Grishin is placed fi ft h Kreanga of Greece — who Among the women, now have to wait another year gaining the biggest number performance in Vancouver, and Slivets sixth. Despite his he defeated in a 5-set Victoria Pavlovich of Bela- to raise its status in this unoffi - of points — a rare event at Kushnir has completely re- silver in Vancouver, Kushnir match. rus failed to go beyond the cial world team championship. the start of the season. In the covered from his injury (re- has dropped to 11th place. “You can never predict group stage. .