Irina Leparskaya Awarded IOC Sport and Art Prize

Irina Leparskaya, head coach of the national rhythmic gymnastics team is awarded the Sport and Art prize of the International Olympic Committee. 

Irina Leparskaya received the award for organizing and staging the BabyCup tournament for 15 years already.

Maksim Ryzhenkov, First Vice-President of the National Olympic Committee Belarus, presented the prize to our honored coach on behalf of the IOC during the closing ceremony of 31^st European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships.

“This is not my personal prize, this prize belongs to my whole team”, Irina Leparskaya noted. “The idea of the tournament emerged in 1996. Since then, it has been staged annually with much success. Many athletes who have won medals at the Olympic Games, World and European Championships, began at BabyCup. The IOC has recognized our work, the contribution of Belarus in the promotion of rhythmic gymnastics worldwide through art. I’m very grateful for that.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79-MEFdXaC4

Photo by NOC Belarus (Nastassia Marynina).

Translation by Victoria Gonchar, 4th year, Intercultural Communication Department, MSLU.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTcPKzSXnvg