July 1, 2014. Uralvagonzavod Corporation organized Minor Olympics for children from Childhood kindergarten and daycare chain, the corporation’s press service reports.

The competitions were held at the company stadium Sputnik and gathered together more than 200 children from 25 kindergartens located in Dzerzhinsky District of Nizhniy Tagil. Every kindergarten is supported by a department from the corporation’s head plant.

These are actually the second Minor Olympics for pre-school children. Uralvagonzavod Corporation tried this out for the first time last year, and the experience proved rather positive. Just like the actual Olympic Games, Minor Olympics are carried out in accordance with the rules of contests. The event started with a participants’ parade, where children, just like grown-up sports players, were welcomed and cheered by their supporters – parents, teachers, friends and everyone else who came to support the little champions. Basketball, hockey, and taekwondo players, swimmers, and young rhythmic gymnastics performers from kindergartens called Semitsvetik, Katyusha, Lesovichok, Buratino, and Mayachok were at the front of the parade. The parade was followed by the playing of the Russian Federation’s national anthem and the oath ceremony, where the little sports players promised to play fair and respect their rivals’ victories. The solemn opening ceremony was completed with a round of launching multi-colored air balloons into the sky.

This year’s program is more diverse than the last year’s one. In addition to the traditional track-and-field 4x50 meter relay race, long jump and pitching were introduced. The young sports players were very diligent and enthusiastic about coping with all the challenges and reaching their first sports victories. Thanks to Uralvagonzavod Corporation, local kindergartens were able to hold two practice sessions at Sputnik Stadium to make sure the children can train for the important sports event.