Athletes qualify for Caucasian Games in Daghestan

Makhachkala, June 24, 2014. The final qualifier for a place in Daghestani team to participate in the 5th festival of culture and sports named "Caucasian Games" was held last weekend at the "Trud" stadium in Makhachkala. The deputy Daghestan Minister of Physical Culture and Sports Magomed Rabadanov, the person responsible for making up Daghestani team, told RIA "Daghestan" that over 100 athletes took part in the qualifier.

"They are the winners fr om 6 Daghestan areas. The top athletes will participate in the Caucasian Games final scheduled for mid-September in Grozny. Daghestan is set to win the game," he said.

"Last year, we finished second, after our neighbors from Chechnya. This year, we are committed to ask for more. We have made up a good team, most of the guys already have experience of participation in similar events, but there are also some new names, promising athletes who are eager to show themselves in 12 sports," he added.

“We watched competitions in 11 sports: relay race, arm wrestling, tug of war, rope climbing, walking on stilts, carrying weights, weight lifting, long and high jumping, powerlifting, archery, and mini football. Struggle on belts was canceled due to bad weather," Magomedov said after the contest.

The festival for national sports and folk arts "Caucasian Games" was projected in 2006. The first pilot games were held in Ingushetia in 2009. Next 2 festivals took place in Karachay-Cherkessia. In 2012, Nalchik, Kabardino-Balkaria, hosted the festival. Last year, the capital of North Caucasus Federal District – Pyatigorsk – was the venue to the games wh ere Daghestani team of 39 athletes placed second. The 5th Caucasian Games are scheduled for 13-14 September in Grozny.