Penza, 24 December 2016. PenzaNews. The Penza gymnast, five-time prize-winner of the Olympic games Denis Ablyazin received the title Athlete of the Year.

© PenzaNewsBuy the photo

The governor of the Penza region Ivan Belozertsev congratulated him on this occasion during the festive event that took place in the “Burtasy” Palace of Sports on Saturday, December 24.

Denis Ablyazin’s coach, who also trains Aliya Mustafina, was chosen the Coach of the Year.

The winner of the European Platform Diving Championship Ruslan Ternovoi received the prize in the nomination “Olympic hope”. The member of the main Russian short-track team Denis Ayrapetyan, who was not able to be present at the award ceremony, was also awarded in this nomination.

The prize-winner of European BMX racing championships Natalia Afremova was awarded in the nomination “Discovery of the Year”.

The “Strike” team was chosen the best for the victory in the World Fitness Aerobics Championship.

The regional Specialized Children and Youth School of Olympic Reserve in gymnastics named after N. Lavrova was chosen the best in the nomination “Sports School of the Year”.

The coach-instructor of the children and youth school of the working settlement Bekovo Alexei Kulikov received the badge “Honoured Worker of Physical Culture and Sports of the Penza Region”.

Ten institutions at once were awarded in the nomination “Federation of the Year” – the federations of swimming, dancing, triathlon, karate, box, tennis, aeromodelling and automobile sport, martial arts, fitness and aerobics.

The athletes and their coaches were also awarded with certificates of honour, diplomas and money certificates.

“We should set very serious goals for 2017. We should become as well-known in diving and swimming as we used to be. […] We should improve our results in other kinds of sport – in swimming, karate, athletics, team sports. We have everything to do so,” the governor of the Penza region Ivan Belozertsev noted turning to the Penza athlete and their coaches at the award ceremony.