A school gym has re-opened following extensive repairs with the 2019 Winter Universiade its focus ©krsk2019.com

A school gym has been re-opened following major repairs in Kozhanovskaya, in the Balakhtinsky district, with all the walls decorated in the colors of the Winter Universiade 2019.

The image of U-Laika, the mascot of the Games, even appears on the walls.

Extensive repairs included ventilation and lighting systems that were replaced, changing rooms and showers were repaired and a new floor was installed. 

The walls were painted in blue and purple, the colours of the Winter Universiade 2019, which takes place in Krasnoyarsk in March 2019. 

The colours symbolize the severe Siberian winter and the emotional warmth of Siberian people. 

The new gym is aimed to boost pupils' moods during PE lessons and also to draw the students’ attention to the Games.

The formal opening of the school gym saw dancers perform a traditional dance ©krsk2019.com
The formal opening of the school gym saw dancers perform a traditional dance ©krsk2019.com

Acting Minister of Education of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Svetlana Makovskaya visited the opening of the gym and congratulated the students.

She said: "An updated gym in (this) Kozhanovskaya school appeared thanks to your sports merits, dear children and villagers. 

"Students of this school place high (value) in competitions from year to year, (and) are active participants and prize-winners of the school sports league. 

"Famous athletes from the Krasnoyarsk Territory studied here: for example, Leo Fogel, winner of the European Judo Cup, and Aleksandr Zybailo, world champion in weightlifting.

"I wish new sports victories and achievements to all the students".

U-Laika, the mascot of the Games, appears on the walls in the colours of the 2019 Winter Universiade ©krsk2019.com
U-Laika, the mascot of the Games, appears on the walls in the colours of the 2019 Winter Universiade ©krsk2019.com

Elena Bobkova, the principal of the Kozhanovskaya school, made no disguise of her positive feelings either.

"We are very pleased that our school joined the gyms repair programme. 

"Now we have new sports facilities, modern interior, comfortable conditions for classes. 

"I'm sure that the new gym will become a favorite place for schoolchildren's gatherings even in between the classes".

Following the formal opening of the gym for students in grades 5 to 11, a lesson in the history of university sport was delivered.

Repairs have been carried out in the Krasnoyarsk Territory since 2015 as part of the federal project called "Creation of conditions for physical training and sports for students of general educational organizations located in rural areas".