SPORT The Minsk Times Thursday, April 5, 2012 11 Grigas’ team going to Earning Spanish gold Europe Alexandra Gerasimenya wins again! In Malaga, the Belarusian sportswoman won XIII CTO. Lithuanian coach Rimantas DE ESPAÑA OPEN ABSOLUTO PRIMAVERA P50, in 50m freestyle swimming Grigas has replaced Anatoly Buyalsky as coach of the Belarusian national women’s basketball team Th e search for a new head for the most successful Belarusian squad of recent years was launched by the Belarusian Basketball Federation in November 2011, when long-time coach Anatoly Buyalsky announced his departure. Th e core achievements of the Belarusian women’s basketball team are linked to Buyalsky’s name: 2007 European Championship bronze, fourth place in the 2010 World Championship, and sixth place at the 2008 Olympics. However, aft er losing the 2011 European Champi- onship, the Belarusian coach decid- ed to resign. Aft er long discussions, the can- didate from Lithuania (currently the assistant head coach of leading European women’s basketball club UGMK Yekaterinburg) was chosen. Th e contracts with 49 year old Gri- gas will last till the end of the sum- mer. Moreover, it was agreed that Grigas would lead the team to the EuroBasket-2013 fi nals in France if they successfully qualify (matches are to be played in June-July). “I’m pleased to have the chance REUTERS Alexandra Gerasimenya doesn’t conceal her joy from successful swim to head the Belarusian national women’s basketball team. Coach- By Dmitry Baranovsky Unsurprisingly, the fi rst offi - mova. Young Belarusian Oksana for sportsmen, aft er important in- ing a national squad is an important cial start of the new Olympic sea- Demidova came fi ft h, while show- ter-season preparation,” notes the project and I’m keen to help fulfi l the Th is is her favourite distance, son has been vital, with only her ing promise for the future. Belarusian national team’s head ambitions of the players, the Federa- in which she always does well. She team mate -- Svetlana Khokhlova Among the men, Belarus was coach, Igor Makeev. He adds, “I tion, and fans. I’ll do my best to an- took gold for the 100m freestyle -- coming close to rivalling Gerasi- represented in Spain by Pavel consider that the results show our swer their expectations,” he asserts. at the 2011 World Championship menya in the 50m fi nal -- fi nishing Sankovich, who fi nished sixth in high level of readiness and hope Grigas will be assisted by Belarusian and, in 2012, is expected to show second. Like Alexandra, Svetlana the 50m backstroke. that our swimmers will bring us Andrey Vavlev. the same success, at the Olympics. is coached by famous Yelena Kli- “Th e results are ‘a water test’ success at the Olympics!” Football again left Azarenko ends her run and 2011) the first two sets were won 3:6, 3:6 by Barto- without championship li. Vika also boasts 12 vic- torious WTA tournaments, Belarus’ national mini-football team almost loses hope including four this sea- of playing at 2012 World Championship son: in Sydney, Melbourne (Australian Open), Doha A home match against that our squad will fi nd suc- Th ere are 1,200 pitches in and Indian Wells. Portugal has resulted in an cess; it may be more likely to Madrid, yet only 5-7 in Minsk Meanwhile, Max Mirny awkward defeat of 1:7. Our reach the Moon by bicycle. — and no specialised training is on good form. He is to rival also hopes to continue to Th e head coach of the schools for youngsters. As a play another Davis Cup the next stage of the tourna- Belarusian national team, result, over the last fi ve years, with the Belarusian na- ment, so is sure to fi ght hard Valery Dosko, tells us frankly, very few players of interna- tional team, on April 6th. in the return match in Lisbon. “In European football, we oc- tional level have appeared At the same tournament BELTA The game has failed It seems foolhardy to suppose cupy the place we deserve. from Belarus.” in Miami, he reached the final, partnering Daniel Nestor of Canada, where By Dmitry Baranovsky they presented a serious No places at the tennis table threat to Leander Paes (In- The world’s top tennis dia) and Radek Stepanek By Ivan Rafalsky higher than 13th position. player, Victoria Azarenko (Czech Republic). Unfor- The men advanced fur- of Belarus, has suff ered tunately, after winning the Belarusian national ther. At the group stage, her fi rst defeat of the first set the Belarusian and table tennis teams left Vladimir Samsonov, Yevg- season, being knocked Canadian have failed to without medals at World eny Shchetinin and Pavel out of the tournament in preserve their advantage Championship in German Platonov did rather well. American Miami and lost. Dortmund After four victories and After victories at sev- In previous years, The women were the one defeat (losing to the eral large tournaments, Mirny, who lives in the first to be knocked out Japanese in the first match Azarenko’s winning series USA, has won the Miami of the struggle. Tatiana (0:3) and then beating totalled 26 matches, al- tournament four times: Petkevich’s trainees set off the Slovaks (3:0), Rus- lowing her to approach pairing Swiss Roger Fed- to Germany well remem- sians (3:1), Poles (3:0) and Steffi Graf’s record. How- erer (2003), Swedish Jo- bering their bronze medals Croatians (3:1)) they came ever, French Marion Bar- nas Björkman (2005 and at a similar tournament in third, reaching the play- toli (seeded seventh world- 2006) and Israeli Andy 2006. Unfortunately, they offs for the 1/4 final. They wide) has ended her stellar Ram (2009). Twice, he has failed to repeat their suc- then lost to Singapore run. reached the semi-finals — cess. In the final match Vladimir Samsonov did what he could (1:3), which knocked them In the ¼ finals in Mi- partnering Indian Mahesh of the group stage, which chances, our team lost to only fifth in their group, out, leaving them to fight ami (won twice previously Bhupathi (2010) and Cana- primarily determined our Hungary and were placed enabling them to climb no for 9-12th place. by Azarenko — in 2009 dian Daniel Nestor (2011)..