Training through Sport

The Sestroretsk Children's Athletic School of Olympic Reserve, located in Alexandrovskaya Settlement, celebrated 50 years of existence last year. In 1992 the School supported the creation of a state boarding school that offers the future Olympians state general education curriculum. The board of school sees its mission not only in the training of bicycling athletic elite, but in the holistic development of the athletes' personalities.

Combination of general complementary education allows not only to secure the optimal conditions for developing talent of future athletes. It also fosters high quality education in accordance with modern requirements. Training in the school focuses on developing the need of self-education and self-perfection not only in the field of sports. The students attend numerous clubs and elective subjects. The boarding school offers a variety of creative opportunities extending beyond the athletic curriculum. The instruction and the athletic training process are harmonized to assure the overall development of the students, and in turn it leads to better athletic results and allows more successful rehabilitation after athletic events. Such organization of training showed its effectiveness and good results and allowed the teaching staff to approach each student individually. Many of the graduates continue their studies in St. Petersburg professional institutions of higher education.

The School of Olympic Reserve cooperates closely with other schools in the district, with higher education institutions, the Russian Bicycling Association, and the Committee for Sports. The school exchanges experiences with an Italian bicycle club, working together on training programs and joint events.

The school has accumulated considerable experience in teaching and coaching and numerous traditions, and is proud of numerous accomplishments of its graduates. Over the last four years the school trained a number of excellent athletes, who brought glory to St. Petersburg and to Russia. Andrei Kirillov won the first place in the group race at Russia Championships; Lyudmila Zakirova took the lead in the perseverance race at the same event; Svetlana Klimenko took first place in the track event of the Russian Championship, and Zhanna Leonova won the criterion race. Throughout its past, the school prepared 32 masters of sport and 6 masters of sport of international class.