Докшицкий районный исполнительный комитет

20 September 2023

A memorial plaque dedicated to the Honored Boxing Coach of the USSR Valery Kondratenko was unveiled in Vitebsk

Today in Vitebsk, on the basis of Sports School No. 3, a solemn opening of the memorial plaque in memory of the Honored Boxing coach of the USSR, Honorary Citizen of our city Valery Kondratenko took place.

The event was attended by representatives of the regional executive committee, the city executive committee, as well as students of Valery Kondratenko and young boxers.

The memorial plaque was sculpted by Alexander Gvozdikov, a member of the Union of Artists of Belarus, and cast in his studio by Igor Shostak. The memorial sign was created on the initiative of Valeri Kondratenko's pupils and with the financial support of the Vitsebskoblgaz enterprise. It is installed on the building of the boxing hall at 12/1 Ludnikov Avenue.

"The unveiling of the memorial plaque is a significant event for the city," said Denis Shkiryanov, Deputy head of the Regional executive committee's Sports and Tourism department.

- Because Valery Kondratenko is an outstanding person.

Both as an athlete and, first of all, as a teacher.

He has trained a galaxy of high-class athletes.

He made a great contribution to the development of sports in the republic.

The right to open the memorial plaque was granted to Denis Shkiryanov, Chairman of the Vitebsk City Council of Deputies Vladimir Belevich, General Director of UE "Vitsebskoblgaz" Alexander Brantsevich and Valery Kondratenko's wife Galina Vasilyevna.

The most titled pupil of Valery Kondratenko is the Olympic champion of the 1988 Seoul Games Vyacheslav Yanovsky.

He, being in Khabarovsk, could not take part in this event.

But I recorded a voice message that was made at the event.

In it, Vyacheslav Yanovsky thanked all those involved in the creation of the memorial plaque and perpetuating the memory of Valery Georgievich.

Mikhail Volkov, a mathematics teacher of the highest qualification category of gymnasium No. 8 in Vitebsk, also took boxing lessons with Valery Kondratenko.

The teacher, who brought up numerous winners of national and international Olympiads, shared his memories of Valery Georgievich at the event.

"Today is a great occasion to remember a smart coach who taught boxing tactics and strategies," said Mikhail Volkov.

- He taught you to win in a playful way, not to fight.

He taught me how to get out of a fight with the least punches, as they say.

This coach went down in history not only because almost every student of his became, as a rule, a good athlete.

But also a person who helped his students throughout their lives.

This is very important for a coach.