Our Sportsmen in Croatia
Starting from the year 2008 handball has been extensively supported by the university management. A.M.Gridchin, the University Presidents (at that time BSTU Chansellor), started to develop handball at the university and due to this our team has the present high level.
After a week of exciting beach handball matches, brilliant weather conditions and a superb atmosphere, the last match of the 2011 European Beach Handball Championships – the men’s final – was played in Umag, Croatia. Alexander Anisimov, BSTU post-graduate student played all the 11 games in the Russian national team. Alexander Anisimov has satisfied all the requirements for an honorary title of International class master of sports.
Before the final Denmark secured seventh place by beating Serbia 2:0. Hungary lost the first set in the 5/6 match closely, but came back strongly in an impressive second set. The shoot-out was finally won by Hungary with a 18:16 victory and fifth place with it.
In the bronze final, the Ukrainian team lost the first set against Spain but came back strongly in the second. In the shoot-out for the bronze medal, Spain had the better ending, securing third rank.
In the final the Croatian favourites – supported by a huge home crowd – won the first set. The second set was very tight, as the Russians put more pressure on the hosting nation. Four seconds before the end, the Russians had the chance to equalise, being one point behind and one player up due to a suspension. But they did not manage to score, and the title went, like the women – to the hosts Croatia.
The town of Umag also hosted the youth beach handball championship. The Russian Youth team (senior couch – S. Kramskoy) included 4 BSTU students: Oleg Litvishko, Yaroslav Shopin, Evgeniy Gienko, Alexey Cherednichenko.
Goalkeepers’ couch Andrey Gienko won the Humgarians in in ¼ final, and in the semi-final over Switzerland. But they lost to Croatians in the finals. However all the above team members including the couch were debutants of the tournament, where they managed to play on this high level.