site.btaPresident, Sports Minister Open National Morning Gymnastics Festival in Yambol

President Rumen Radev and caretaker Minister of Youth and Sports Georgi Glushkov unveiled the third national morning gymnastics festival in Yambol on Saturday. The Practice Sports with the President initiative under the head of State's auspices was held simultaneously. The two sports events brought nearly 1,000 children from across Bulgaria to Yambol's linear park in the grassy empty arm of the Tundzha River.

"I will continue to support this initiative because it directly helps the achievement of the important national goal of our young people's physical and spiritual development. This is one of the best investments in our future. If we do not bet on this important national goal, we cannot achieve any of the other strategic goals of our country," Radev said. In his words, sport and the active way of life are the most important steps in the fight with sedentary life, obesity, smoking, alcohol, and drugs among young people.

The President expressed gratitude to Yambol Mayor Valentin Revanski, Deputy Mayor Encho Keryazov, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Vasil Levski National Sports Academy for the festival, which popularizes sport among adolescents. Radev congratulated the participants in the Presidential Test, part of the Practice Sports with the President initiative. Those with the best results will be awarded at the President's Administration building in Sofia in a month.

Minister Glushkov said he was happy to see so many children practicing sports in one place. "I welcome the efforts of the Municipality and the mayor's team for giving an opportunity and improving the conditions for young people's physical activity," he noted, adding that sport teaches one values.

Three years ago, Deputy Mayor Keryazov and the local authorities launched a campaign to restore the practice of 10-minute morning gymnastics in schools. That school practice, forgotten for over 30 years, has gained popularity in Yambol and other Bulgarian cities.

Among the attendees of Saturday's event was gymnastics coach legend Neshka Robeva. Approached by BTA, she praised Yambol Municipality for the efforts to turn the empty river bed into a huge linear park and for reviving the good but forgotten over the years practice of morning gymnastics in Bulgarian schools.

Within the Practice Sport with the President initiative, all residents and guests of Yambol competed in several disciplines: push-ups,  crunches, 400 m running, long jump, pull-ups, and medicine ball throws.