SPORT The Minsk Times Thursday, July 26, 2012 11 Acceptance approved unanimously Belarusian champion Meshkov Brest HC accepted into South East Handball Association Recently, the Serbian capital of Belgrade hosted a session of the Regional League of the South East Handball Association (SEHA), which has unanimously approved Brest handball club to play in the 2012/2013 regional league, along- side other newcomers: Croatian Zagreb and Nexe, Macedonian Metalurg and Vardar, Montenegrin Lovćen, Izvidac (Bosnia and Herze- govina) and Slovak Tatran. Polish Vive (Kielce) and Serbian Metalo- plastika (Šabac) may also soon join. Th e organisers of the tournament plan to announce the fi nal schedule before too long. Th e Brest club gained approval for its participation in the South East Handball Association tournament at the most recent session of the Belaru- sian Handball Federation’s Executive Committee. Th e latter also decided that the winners of the recent state BELTA championship — Dinamo Minsk, BATE footballers defeat Macedonian Vardar in first match of Champions League Brest Meshkov HC and Minsk SKA — can go straight through to the second stage of the tournament, joining the top three teams from the preliminary round (where six lesser There’s wish to play well, but rated clubs will play). Mastery not everyone is able to do this leading to Belarusian clubs begin Euro journeys, enjoying various results in their first play- super final off matches — for the Champions League and UEFA Cup Junior Brest Zubrs baseball By Dmitry Baranovsky By the 62nd minute, the guests the Novopolotsk club fought Crve- lands. Macedonian Renova proved and softball club takes silver had scored twice, with no sign that na Zvezda, from Belgrade. By the a stronger team but Gomel still at European Golden Super Cup Belarusian club BATE was the BATE would manage even a draw. end of the fi rst half, the Serbs had managed a 2:0 victory, in their 2012, held in Prague fi rst to kick off . Belarus’ champion, However, Vitaly Rodionov saved scored three goals; Naft an seemed away game; this gives the squad once again trying to get through the day, sending two goals into the doomed but entered the second half every chance of reaching the third to the Champions’ League Group net (using extra-time). Our squad positively, closing the gap to 2:3 by stage, where they will face mighty Stage, faced modest Macedonian remains in with a chance of reach- the 67th minute. A third goal was British Liverpool — the fi ve-time Vardar. In previous years, the ing the next stage, although it won’t scored in the following minute but winner of the European Champi- Borisov players could have easily be easy for them to repeat the situ- was, disappointingly, disallowed ons Cup and English champion 18 defeated the squad. However, this ation in Macedonia, where the re- by the referee. Within another 60 times. time, several major BATE football- turn game will be hosted. seconds, Kasalica had sent a fourth Th e potential rivals of the other ers, including Renan Bressan, were Novopolotsk Naft an and Soli- ball into our net, despite Naft an Belarusian clubs have also been absent, having been called onto the gorsk Shakhtyor were playing their fi ghting to the bitter end. Th ey now announced: Novopolotsk Naft an Belarusian Olympic team to play matches in the Europa League at go to Belgrade with little hope of could play Cyprus’ Omonia, while in London. It was no easy task for almost the same time, but faced beating this strong team. Soligorsk Shakhtyor is set to face Th e Golden Super Cup is one the Belarusians to make their fi rst diff erent classes of rival. Shakhtyor Gomel’s start in the Europa the winning team between Met- of Europe’s largest baseball tourna- step in the Group Stage, even at had little opposition from Austrian League was quite successful, easily alurgs (from Liepāja, Latvia) and ments. Th is year, 20 teams of young home, without their major force. Rid (managing a 1:1 draw) while defeating Vikingur of the Faroe Is- Legia (from Warsaw, Poland) players (born in 2002 and aft erwards) took part: about 300 boys battling for the title. On the fi rst day, the squad demol- Boxer focused on the prize ished Czech Wolfs Domazlice (20-03), Tempo Titans Praha (22-08) and Ry- In October or November, Ricky Hatton for the fi nal match tiri Trutnov (16-9). Th e following day, Belarusian Sergey Rabchenko (who beat eminent Kostya Tszyu). they smashed Central Bohemia (20- is to defend his European Ricky didn’t change my training 09) and Slovenia (20-05), but lost to Professional Boxing Champion methods radically but focused on last year’s winner, Draci Brno (6-19). title (weight up to 69.9kg) my back muscles, increased my On the third day of the tourna- Rabchenko won 21 profession- strength training and gave me ment, Brest Zubrs beat the Czech al matches (16 by knockout) to more sparring practise.” Central Bohemia again (16-0) and gain the title of European Cham- Commenting on the champi- Slovenia (18-7). Th ey went through pion on June 16th. He fi nally de- onship fi ght, Mr. Hatton answered to the super fi nal, where they faced feated Ryan Rhodes (fi ve-time simply, “His knockout was made Czech Draci Brno once more, ending British champion and twice Eu- with a master punch to the liver the fi rst half with a score of 0-4. How- ropean champion) by knockout in area.” British Ricky Hatton, who ever, in the second half, their rivals led the 7th round. has been promoting Sergey Ra- (5-4) and, fi nally, took fi rst place (18- Coach Sergey Pytalev and bchenko for the past year, sees true 11), leaving Brest Zubrs with silver. Rabchenko, 26, recently gave a talent and the prospect for further Pleasingly, the junior team’s Kirill press conference. Rabchenko ex- growth in the Belarusian athlete. Lapchenko was named best striker plained, “Before the fi ght, I did a Rabchenko does not conceal while Ilya Sladinsky was awarded a lot of treadmill training, alongside the fact that his main goal is to prize for best runner and was named strengthening my punch, speed become World Champion. He is the best player of the MVP tourna- and endurance. It is great honour content to work steadily however, BELTA ment. for me to have been trained by coming ever closer to the title. Sergey Rabchenko (R) is ready to defend his title.