Baku, Azerbaijan, June 19
By Jamila Aliyeva - Trend:
The First European Games being held in Baku will give an impetus to the development of the European sport, Sergey Bubka, president of Ukraine's National Olympic Committee told Trend June 19.
A wonderful sport festival is being held in Baku in these days, he said. Bubka said he believes that the European Olympic Committees has made a very important decision on organizing and holding these Games.
The European Games that kicked off in Baku June 12, will last till June 28. There is a total of 20 sports at Baku 2015: 16 Olympic sports and four non-Olympic sports.
More than 6,000 athletes from across Europe represent their nations over 17 days of competition. Baku was awarded the games by the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in December 2012.
Bubka said Asian, pan-American Games have been held long ago and now the European continent is also holding its Games.
The president of Ukraine's National Olympic Committee said that Azerbaijan has created great opportunities for the European athletes.
Bubka is a former Ukrainian pole vaulter. He represented the Soviet Union until its dissolution in 1991, was twice named Athlete of the Year by Track & Field News, and in 2012 was one of 24 athletes inducted as inaugural members of the International Association of Athletics Federations Hall of Fame.
Bubka won six consecutive IAAF World Championships, an Olympic gold medal and broke the world record for men's pole vault 35 times (17 outdoor and 18 indoor records). He was the first pole vaulter to clear 6.0 metres and 6.10 metres.
Edited by SI