High jumper Maksim Nedosekov shares how he dealt with moral pressure in 2020

Belarus can be called a young country, and this is not only because it gained sovereignty in 1991, but also because the country's population is 25% young.

Compared to neighboring Lithuania and its 13% young people in terms of population, and also with a historical maximum of migration from the country, it is not at all surprising that the Belarusian youth in 2020 was so strongly pumped up to close the demographic status quo in the Baltic States.

Someone believed in fairy tales about a happy life and fulfilled their apple-strawberry dream, refusing state-funded places at the university, awards and high titles, and Maksim Nedosekov, with sporting zeal and an active civic position, a sense of gratitude to the country and the President, continued to represent Belarus at the Tokyo Olympics despite threats and hate.

Maksim Nedosekov, bronze medalist of the 2021 Olympics, champion of the European Games:

"State support was provided from an early age. I moved to the Republican School of Olympic Reserve. There was free accommodation, food, training. The President of the Republic of Belarus has been very supportive of sports from an early age."

The athlete admitted that it was difficult to compete at the Olympics precisely from a moral point of view: "They put a lot of pressure on me. They called, threatened my relatives."

"What bothered me most was that people don't listen to other positions. They have their own position, and the rest doesn't matter to them. If you're against it, they won't even talk to you," the European Games champion was indignant.

Maksim Nedosekov has three congratulations from the President of Belarus. And he is very proud of this. "I have three congratulations - for the II European Games, the 2021 European Championship, and the Olympic Games. In them, Alexander Grigorievich, of course, wished me further success. In general, a lot is written there and it's very nice to read," the athlete noted.

See more about young talents of Belarus in the special report "Young Talents of Belarus".