One of Our Goals is to Promote a Healthy Lifestyle, Physical Culture, and Sports: Nikol Pashinyan

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan participated in the award ceremony for the winners of the "Prime Minister's Cup" amateur road cycling competition in the Sevan Lake peninsula.

The Prime Minister's office reports that the competition took place today on a 40 km stretch of road in the Gegharkunik region, covering the Shoghakat-Sevan Lake peninsula in one phase and two age groups (first age group: women aged 18-35, men aged 18-40; second age group: women aged 36 and older, men aged 41 and older).

Nikol Pashinyan welcomed all present, the participants of the competition, and the award winners. “First of all, I want to congratulate everyone once again on May 28, the Republic Day. I must say that we have planned the "Prime Minister's Cup" competition from the outset to coincide with significant days of our statehood. Of course, there will be certain adjustments in the initial stages until the competitions settle into a more established logic. Let us hope that this will encourage more people in our country to engage in sports, make a healthy lifestyle a way of life, and ultimately popularize sports. One of our goals is precisely that: to promote a healthy lifestyle, to promote physical culture, and to promote sports,” he stated.

Pashinyan added that the organizers must do everything to make the information about the competitions accessible to all potential participants and encourage more and more participants every year.

Participants who placed 1st to 20th in both age categories were awarded cash prizes. Specifically, the 1st place winners received 1 million drams, the 2nd place 600,000, the 3rd place 400,000, the 4th place 150,000, the 5th place 100,000, and participants placing 6th to 10th received 75,000 each, while the 11th to 20th places were awarded 50,000 each. Participants who took 1st, 2nd, and 3rd places were also awarded corresponding certificates from the Ministry of Education, Science, Culture, and Sport, along with cups and medals.

This competition implemented doping testing for the first time, in accordance with WADA regulations. Winners in both age categories, as well as other participants selected by lottery, underwent doping testing on-site.