Aliaksandr Bahdanovich, the Beijing 2008 canoe sprint champion and deputy of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus, was named the latest Star Ambassador for the 2nd European Games Minsk 2019 today at a ceremony during celebrations for Minsk City Day.

“It is an honour to receive this status,” Bahdanovich said. “I am happy to promote the leading multisports competition of 2019 and will do my best to fulfil the tasks of being a Star Ambassador. I am confident that the European Games will be successful.”

Minsk European Games Organizing Committee (MEGOC) Deputy CEO Anatoly Kotov said: “The ceremony naming Aliaksandr as Star Ambassador for the 2nd European Games is an important occasion for us. We are very pleased to give this title to such an outstanding athlete. He will promote the Games not only in the sports world but also as a Member of Parliament. I am sure that Aliaksandr will use every opportunity to make the European Games even more recognisable and bright.”

As previously reported, MEGOC launched the Star Ambassador project for Minsk 2019 earlier this year to spread the word about Europe’s premier multisport event that will take place from 21-30 June next year in the Belarusian capital.

Four-time Olympic champion and two-time World Champion biathlete Darya Domracheva was announced as the first Star Ambassador on 24 July. Famous circus trainers Askold and Edgard Zapashnye soon joined the Star Ambassador team. Future Star Ambassadors are expected to include prominent persons from the world of sport, art and culture from Belarus and other countries.

As part of celebrations marking Minsk Day today, a canoe sprint dragon boat regatta was held on the Svisloch River, with a number of famous Belarusian athletes taking part. Teams made up of MEGOC staff, candidate volunteers for Minsk 2019, university students and the Belarusian Republican Youth Union (BRSM) took part in competition on 12-seat dragon boats. The competition was organised by the Ministry of Sport and Tourism, Minsk City Executive Committee, Belarusian Canoe Association and the Belarusian Association of Student Sport.