President's Olympics: December tradition for Uzbekistan's young athletes

The "New Uzbekistan Olympic Peaks" competition system is introduced twice a year. Winners of the regional stage will participate in the "President's Olympics," held every December in the Olympic Village. This was announced on April 16, during President Shavkat Mirziyoyev's visit to the social services center in Andijan region, where he also reviewed a presentation related to sports and the Olympic movement.

It was revealed that more than 10 million people in Uzbekistan are engaged in mass sports activities. Competitions are being held in districts, educational institutions, and labor collectives. Now, the goal is to increase this figure to 15 million. For this, tournaments such as the "Mahalla League," "School League," "Students' League," "Minister's Cup," and the "Trade Unions Cup" will be organized.

On February 13, a video selector meeting was held to give instructions on selecting and improving the skills of young athletes. Accordingly, measures are being taken to bring the selection process, sports education, and the Olympic system to a new level.

The 254 sports schools across the regions, along with 56 specialized Olympic sports schools, will serve as the main reserve for the national teams. Selected young talents will be trained based on their physical attributes and capabilities.

To prepare them further, the "New Uzbekistan Olympic Peaks" competition system will be conducted twice a year. Winners of the regional stages will participate in the "President's Olympics," held every December in the Olympic Village. Champions will be rewarded with valuable prizes such as houses and cars. Athletes who secure first and second places will be admitted to the Republican Olympic and Paralympic Center.

The President emphasized the need to enhance the vertical structure of sports education and implement advanced methods and approaches. Guidelines were provided to improve the performance of sports schools and nurture talented youth into professional athletes.