President's support for Kazakhstan sport is of great importance - Elena Khrustaleva

14:28, 6 March 2010

ALMATY. March 6. KAZINFORM /Daniyar Sikhimbayev/ "I have exerted every effort to win a medal but I was not sure whether I would get it. To my mind, no sportsman is confident in his victory", Kazakhstani biathlete, silver medal winner of 2010 Vancouver Olympics Elena Khrustaleva said at a press conference in Almaty today.

She said she had just returned from Astana where she received congratulations from the Head of the State. "On the threshold of the International Women's Day the President of our country congratulated all Kazakhstani women on this wonderful holiday. It is quite important that our President pays particular attention to women and their social status. I liked Astana, this is a very beautiful city", E. Khrustaleva said and added the President's support for Kazakhstani sport was of great importance. "Today we build various sports facilities of international level. This demonstrates high-level of the country's development", she stressed.

Speaking on her private life, Khrustaleva noted she planned to get married as soon as her sports career finished.

29-year-old E. Khrustaleva was born in Krasnoyarsk (Russia) where she started her biathlete's career. Elena represented Belarus at the Olympiad in Salt Lake City. Several years ago Khrustaleva moved to Kazakhstan and obtained Kazakhstani citizenship. On February 18 she won her silver medal in 15 km individual race in Vancouver. Elena was the second. The gold medal was taken by Tora Berger, a Norwegian biathlete.

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