The Gomel oblast has named 16 best sportsmen 2007. The sports community of the oblast chose among the athletes who the most prestigious competitions in 2007.
In 2007, a year before the Olympics, sportsmen of the Gomel oblast won 102 medals at championships, world and Euro Cups, 20 Olympic licenses. In 2007, representatives of five sports made it to the list of top athletes.
For the second year in a row the title “Athlete of the Year” has been awarded to Roman Petrushenko (towing). He won the World and Europe canoe and kayak championships and two Olympic licenses.
Among the best athletes of the region are Natalia Gelakh (world champion in rowing), Alesya Babushkina (a bronze medal winner at the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships), Anastasiya Veremeenko, Yelena Levchenko and Natalia Marchenko (bronze medal winners at the European Basketball Championship), Albert Batyrov (European freestyle wrestling champion) and other athletes.
