The record for the largest mass exercise in the country was set at the RUSSIA EXPO
The opening
ceremony of the sports program was held at the RUSSIA EXPO. It was organized by
the RUSSIA EXPO Directorate and the All-Russian Public Movement for Promotion
of Patriotic and Sports Education of Citizens "Healthy Fatherland".
The sports
events at the Exposition were launched with a gymnastics exercise conducted by
Olympic champion gymnast Nikita Nagorny and supported by other athletes. It
became a record-breaking mass exercise in Russia - 5773 people took part in it.
The previous record was set in Nizhny Novgorod in 2023. At that time, 5598
people participated in the exercise at the same time.
"With
today's event we open the sports season at the RUSSIA EXPO. Every day we will
have a huge number of sports events. I would like to thank everyone who came
this morning to take part in such a big All-Russian Exercise. Special thanks to
our legendary athletes, who will lead today's exercise for visitors, and to our
partners, the Healthy Fatherland movement. And thanks to the unexpected
sunshine," said Natalia Virtuozova, Director General of the RUSSIA EXPO.
Oleg Saitov, vice-chairman of the Healthy Fatherland movement, two-time Olympic champion, world and European boxing champion, winner of the Val Barker Cup, joined the words of gratitude to the Exposition guests, organizers of the exercise and athletes. He noted that such events on the Exposition's Main Street Stage will be held on a regular basis.
"It's
great that not only Moscow joined us. St. Petersburg, Stavropol, Kirov
residents were with us today - the exercises will unite all regions of Russia.
The Internet today is full of pranks and evil hoaxes, while sport and kindness
have fallen by the wayside. It is important for us to support a healthy nation
and do everything we can to achieve success," said Oleg Saitov, the
initiator of the movement and two-time Olympic boxing champion.
Several
regions - the Kirov, Stavropol regions and St. Petersburg - joined Russia's
largest mass exercise. They established a teleconference with the Exposition -
about 500 people gathered on the Green embankment in Kirov, about a thousand
children came to Lenin Square in Stavropol. Hundreds of St. Petersburg
residents took part in the exercise on Petrovskaya Spit.
Also during
the event, the ambassadors of the Exposition's sports program were presented to
the guests. They were Vyacheslav Fetisov, State Duma deputy, two-time Olympic
hockey champion, Oleg Saitov, boxer, Nikita Nagorny, Olympic champion in
artistic gymnastics, and Svetlana Romashina, 7-time Olympic champion in
synchronized swimming, Rima Batalova, 13-time Paralympic champion in track and
field athletics, Alexei Smertin, former captain of the Russian national
football team, Alexander Legkov and Nikita Kryukov, Olympic champions in
cross-country skiing, and Karina Cherevan, world champion in sambo. Natalia
Virtuozova presented them with the respective certificates. The ambassadors
were also handed over the flame of the All-Russian Family Hearth, which was lit
at the Exposition on January 23 - the day when Russian President Vladimir Putin
announced the start of the Year of the Family.
"We have gathered here, in a unique place on planet Earth, where our fathers and grandfathers created such beauty, where we can witness the success of past generations, see the successes of today and look into the future. The Russian Federation must become the main power on planet Earth. And we are grateful to the President for breathing life into this unique place. We understand everything today: who we are, for what reason and why. To feel ourselves as a team, to be shoulder to shoulder, to feel the elbow of a friend - this is the greatest happiness, especially at this time," emphasized Vyacheslav Fetisov.
Today, the
RUSSIA EXPO hosted an event not only of Russian, but also of global scale,
noted Nikita Nagorny, who led the exercise.
"Sport
has always been in the first place in our country. Both professional athletes,
amateurs, and kids who have only recently started practicing sports gathered
here. And now we all show that sport unites us," said Nikita Nagorny.
Mass exercises will be conducted by invited champions on the Main Street Stage every Saturday at 11:00. In addition, a large number of sporting events will take place at the Exposition. These include races, festivals, tournaments, a sports parade and more.
"With today's mass exercise we opened the sports season at the Exposition - people came with their whole families! A lot of sporting events await our guests from now on. Mass exercises will be held together with the regions via teleconference every Saturday at 11:00. And next to Pavilion No. 57, a sports zone will open where you can do gymnastics every day at 11:00. There you will also be able to play table tennis and do other activities, - says Anastasia Zvyagina, Deputy Director General of the RUSSIA EXPO. - Together with the Russian Society "Knowledge" we will open a fan zone of the BRICS Games, where you can cheer for our athletes. All are welcome!"
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