Oleg Valenchuk: Young judokas are raised by the example of a Hero of Russia

      On this day, the regional stage of the XIII Spartakiad of students in judo for athletes under 18 years old took place, gathering more than 190 participants from various corners of the Kirov region and neighboring regions, including Izhevsk, Yoshkar-Ola, and Tatarstan. The participants of the competition were welcomed by State Duma deputy and president of the Judo Federation of the Kirov region, Oleg Valenchuk. He emphasized that this tournament has not only a sporting but also an educational significance. "Through the example of our compatriot, Hero of Russia Sergey Ozhgov, the kids learn what courage, patriotism, and loyalty to duty are," Valenchuk noted. Among the honored guests of the event were Evgeny Shvetsov, deputy head of the Main Directorate of the Federal Bailiff Service for the Kirov region, and the sister of Hero of Russia Sergey Ozhgov, Elena. The competitions, held today in memory of Sergey Ozhgov, have a long history. The first nine years they took place during the athlete's lifetime, who actively supported young judokas and inspired them to achieve. His tragic death on December 2, 2013, was a heavy blow for all who knew him. In memory of Sergey Anatolyevich, the sports club "Leader" from Kirovo-Chepetsk decided to name the tournament after him, which became a symbol of respect for his memory and legacy. Participants representing different regions showed high results, made possible by discipline and hard work under the guidance of experienced coaches. Athletes from the Kirov region, despite high competition, demonstrated excellent results, indicating a high level of preparation and a desire to win. You can find the results of the regional competitions and the Spartakiad of students in the official group of the Judo Federation of the Kirov region on Vkontakte. Our judokas also represent the Kirov region well on the international stage. On March 28-29, international judo competitions for boys and girls under 18 years old took place in St. Petersburg — the Governor's Cup of St. Petersburg. The Kirov region was represented by Emin Guseynov from the judo school of the city of Slobodskoy (coach — Sabir Ilyasov), competing in the weight category up to 81 kg. After 9 intense bouts in a highly competitive environment, where 79 athletes competed in his weight category, Emin won a bronze medal. Margarita Kasatkina (coach Alizamin Guseynov) also brought a bronze medal to Slobodskoy. On March 28, at the All-Russian judo competitions dedicated to Hero of Russia, Major General A.M. Beloglazov (Patriots League), held in Saratov, Margarita climbed to the third step of the podium.