European Biathlon Championship – 2009 opened in Ufa

Author: Foreign Economic Relations Department

The opening ceremony of European Biathlon Championship for sportsmen under 26 years took place in Ufa yesterday. There was a colourful performance on Lenin square in front of the Russian Drama Theatre.
President of Bashkortostan Republic, Murtaza Rakhimov, president of the International Biathlon Union, Anders Besseberg, Prime Minister of Bashkortostan Republic, Rail Sarbaev, first vice-president of the International Biathlon Union and Russian Biathlon Union, Alexander Tikhonov, and other official persons participated in this event.
In his speech of welcome, President of our Republic marked that the decision taken by the International Biathlon Union to hold this championship in Bashkortostan was very pleasant, as it is one of the most developed and most beautiful regions of Russia.
The venue for Biathlon – 2009 is Ufa sport complex, which has already acquired broad distinction. There were held hundreds of different competitions, including World summer biathlon championship in 2006. The European Biathlon Championship will assist for further development of this popular and spectacular sport event.
“Bashkortostan Republic waits for dear guests and is ready to welcome the elite of the European Biathlon”, said the president of Bashkortostan. After the greeting speech Maxim Chudov, Multi-champion of summer and winter biathlon of Bashkir origin, ran up the flag of the International Biathlon Championship. The cherry of the event were spectacular fireworks.