Russian Wheelchair Basketball Cup finishes in Kazan

On September 22, at the Kazan Basket-Hall a game for the third place between Bars Kanatlary (Leopard's wings) and Falkon from Moscow was held within the framework of the Open Russian Wheelchair Basketball Cup. The Kazan team won the tough game with a score of 61:47. Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov, who came to the Basket-Hall by the metro, Aide to the President Tatiana Larionova, Tatarstan Minister of Youth Affairs and Sport Vladimir Leonov attended the game.

The Cup started in Kazan on September 19. The competitions were held for the sixth time, with participation of eight teams from Chelyabinsk, Kazan, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Tyumen and Stavropol.

Welcoming participants, Rustam Minnikhanov emphasized their ethos of sport. “We always say that our nation should be healthy, but this requires sport activities. I assure you that Tatarstan will always support this kind of sport,” he said, adding that the athletes are resourceful, have special skill and sport courage.

“Wheelchair basketball has reached such a high level that we are ready to host Europe Cup in Kazan if we have the support,” the chief referee Mikhail Lokshin noted.

Following the game the best teams and players of the tournament were awarded. Thus, Vasily Kochetkov from the Bars Kanatlary team became the best basketball sniper, while Ruslan Kozhevnikov from Tatarstan team was awarded for his courage.

The BasKI (St. Petersburg) scored a victory in the tournament the second time in a row, while the Nevsky Alians (St. Petersburg) won a silver medal.