Kiev 2007

FLASH REPORT

THE 1ST EURO GAMES IN KIEV HAS JUST ENDED!

By Andrew Michalak

After my 3-day stay in Kiev I could name this Ukrainian 1500-year old metropolis “The Stormy City”. Last night, on Saturday evening, one terrible storm went over the city. It was so dangerous, that the next day, Mr. Vadim Kopylov, President of the recently founded European Sports Committee, received a phone call from the Ministry of Power Supply during the official meeting of the representatives of all sports federations participating in the Games, that some problems with electricity might occur at the sports facilities due to the damages made by the storm.

The next night, when I am just sitting in front of my computer and writing these words, the second big storm approaches the city. I wonder if the new sport initiative, called the European Games will be the next storm, this time in the area of the international sport? Maybe. Representatives of the 15 non-Olympic sport disciplines came here to show their real potentials and their popularity in the societies. They want to develop their sports all over the continent, and later, maybe, all over the world. Some of the non-European countries (Egypt, Libya, Israel) already asked to allow them to come to Kiev and participated in the Games.

Despite the sport events, the most important part of the Games was the meeting of the European Sports Committee at which their Declaration was adopted and proposition for the next meeting to be held later this year were discussed. It was also confirmed that the next Euro Games, in 2011, will be held in Siauliai, Lithuania, where the number of official sports will be increased to 20, at least.

EBFF was represented at the meeting by its President Dr. Rafael Santonja (also IFBB President) as well as by the Vice-President Pawel Filleborn and General Secretary Axel Bauer. But many other EBFF officials were present there as the observers, making our delegation the biggest one.

Now about our beloved physique sports. According to the previous decisions, three IFBB official divisions were present here: men bodybuilding, men fitness and women fitness. This contest took place in the Congress Hall of the President’s Hotel. The Sunday finals were attended by Mr. Sergey Bubka (Ukrainian Olympic Committee President), Mr. Yuri Tam (Estonian Olympic Committee President), Mr. Gintautas Vileita (European Sports Committee First Vice-President) and many other top officials. IFBB President Dr. Rafael Santonja, presented medals and awards to many Ukrainian Federation officials as well as to Mr. Sergey Bubka, who was awarded with the IFBB Gold Medal.

And then the contest started. The number of competitors was limited as it was an invitational event. There were 9 bodybuilders. Among them two current European champions: Alexandr Kodzoev of Russia (in 85 kg class) and Robert Piotrkowicz of Poland (in 100 kg class). During the recent European Championships in Baku Kodzoev was one place ahead of Piotrkowicz in the overall category. This time both weighed more but Piotrkowicz increased his bodyweight to 105 kg and it was visible on the stage. His legs, lats and arms were bigger and fuller. He was also in perfect condition, showing hard and deeply separated muscles. He won unanimously.

Kodzoev was a bit off, displaying perfectly built physique but no enough hardness and definition to do any damage to Piotrkowicz this time, but his potentials are great. The matter of the third place was a bit more complicated as Arvydas Mickus of Lithuania and Vitaliy Grechukhov of Ukraine run a very tough battle. Grechukhov, former European champion, famous of his very attractive posing routines, was tied with Mickus in the routine round but slightly lost both other rounds and placed 4th. Mickus, who finished 4th in the heavyweight class (100 kg) in Baku, improved very much, presenting deeper separation, what was noticed and rewarded by the judges. He finished ahead of Grechukhov in both physical rounds as well in total.

The 5th place went to Oleksandr Slobodyanyuk of Ukraine, European Championships runner-up in 90 kg class, who won the 1st round against Grechukhov but then slightly lost the next two rounds. The last finalist, Andrzej Kolodziejczyk of Poland, took the 6th place but showed big potentials as a 114 kg super heavyweight giant.

There was the next successful revenge in women fitness. Margaryta Byelinska of Ukraine, after a series of second places, finally won the category, defeated Anna Urbanikova of Slovakia, current European champion in 164 cm class. Byelinska slightly lost to Urbanikova in Cacak (by 3 points only) but came in better condition to Kiev. Urbanikova was ill after Cacak and lost some muscle mass, looking too slim. Three top continental juniors placed behind this two great champions: Kristina Jankauskaite (Lithuania), Livia Kallayova (Slovakia) and Oksana Orobets (Ukraine). The overall conditions of their muscles (firmness, bodyfat level) were the decisive factor this time.

And, to continue the successful revenge series at this contest, Mikhail Ivanov of Russia, who slightly lost (by 2 points) the silver medal to Andriy Karpikov of Ukraine in Cacak, won this category in Kiev, coming hard and well prepared. Karpikov lost not only to Ivanov but also to the world junior champion Maksym Orobets from Ukraine, who performed, as usual, very exciting, artistic routine.

After the contest all participants were invited by the training equipment manufacturer and sponsor of this event, Inter Atletica Company, to the farewell banquet delivered at their headquarters in the beautiful forests, 30 km out of Kiev. More detailed report soon.


Men bodybuilding open category winners (from L to R): Alexandr Kodzoev (2nd place); Robert Piotrkowicz (1st place) and Arvydas Mickus (3rd place).


Men bodybuilding victory ceremony (from L to R): Alexandr Kodzoev (2nd place); Mr. Yuri Tam (Estonian Olympic Committee President); Robert Piotrkowicz (1st place); Dr. Rafael Santonja (IFBB President) and Arvydas Mickus (3rd place).


Robert Piotrkowicz (Poland) – the men bodybuilding winner.


The best women fitness competitors (from L to R): Margaryta Byelinska (1st place); Kristina Jankauskaite (3rd place) and Anna Urbanikova (2nd place).


Margaryta Byelinska (Ukraina) – the women fitness winner.


The best men fitness competitors (from L to R): Maksym Orobets (2nd place); Mikhail Ivanov (1st place); Andriy Karpikov (3rd place).


Mikhail Ivanov (Russia) – the men fitness winner.


Alexandr Kodzoev (2nd place), Russia.


Arvydas Mickus (3rd place), Lithuania.


Vitaly Grechukhov (4th place), Ukraine).


Olexandr Slobodyanyuk (5th place), Ukraine.


Andrzej Kolodziejczyk (6th place), Poland.

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