On September 23, Grozny hosted the grand opening of the 1st Festival of the All-Russian Physical Culture and Sports Complex "Ready for Labor and Defense" (GTO) among deaf students and the 3rd Festival of the All-Russian Physical Culture and Sports Complex "Ready for Labor and Defense" (GTO) among deaf persons.

123 athletes from different regions of Russia, adults and schoolchildren, who are confident that sport is about strength, health, and friendship, gathered at the stadium of the "Sports Complex named after S.G. Bilimkhanov."

The grand opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests: Deputy Minister of the Chechen Republic for Physical Culture and Sports Khuseyn Abdulkarimov, President of the All-Russian Sports Federation of the Deaf Dmitry Rebrov, and First Vice-President of the All-Russian Sports Federation of the Deaf Vyacheslav Ershov.

The Deputy Minister of the Chechen Republic for Physical Culture and Sports read a welcoming speech from the Russian Minister of Sport, Mikhail Degtyarev, and wished the participants good luck.

Dmitry Rebrov also greeted the attendees, adding that he was born not far from Grozny, in the Cossack village of Ilinskaya (now Ilinovskaya)—and grew up in the capital of the Republic.

According to the President of the All-Russian Sports Federation of the Deaf, the GTO festival is the first step in the sports career of many participants. Dmitry Rebrov wished the participants to have a great time at the competitions and to show their capabilities, strength, and will to win.

The President of the All-Russian Sports Federation of the Deaf presented Letters of Gratitude to the Minister of the Chechen Republic for Physical Culture and Sports Akhmat Kadyrov, Deputy Minister of the Chechen Republic for Physical Culture and Sports Khuseyn Abdulkarimov, Director of the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of the Ministry of the Chechen Republic Sheikh-Akhmed Ibragimov, and General Director of the State Autonomous Institution "Sports Complex named after Bilimkhanov" Khalid Kadyrov. Then the official anthems of the Russian Federation and the Chechen Republic were played.

After the official part, the creative part began: a performance of an energetic national Chechen dance. Two athletes, an adult and a schoolchild, took the stage and recited the oath, then the GTO flag was solemnly raised. Following the opening ceremony, competitions according to GTO standards began.

Interim team standings after the first day of the 3rd All-Russian GTO Festival among adults (excluding shooting and relay):

1. Krasnodar Krai — 1370 points

2. Moscow — 1352 points

3. Volgograd Oblast — 1282 points

Interim team standings after the first day of the 1st All-Russian GTO Festival among students (excluding 60-meter runs and relay):

1. Voronezh Oblast — 1748 points

2. Moscow — 1707 points

3. Nizhny Novgorod Oblast — 1703 points

On the second and final day of the competitions, participants will face the final tests: for adults — shooting from electronic weapons and team relays; for students — 60-meter runs and also team relays. The competitions promise to be intense.

Text: Olga Troynikova, Nurlan Tazhigulov

Photo: Sofia Rumyantseva

Translation: Daria Kudelina