The European Games Flame of Peace begun its 50-day journey to Minsk at Ara Pacis in Rome last Friday ©FIAS

Sambists Daria Pavlenkova and Alexander Strelchonok will be among the Torchbearers for the Minsk 2019 Flame of Peace Relay as it continues its journey to the Belarusian capital prior to the start of the second edition of the European Games. 

Pavlenkova will take part in the leg to Orsha on May 29, while world and European medallist Strelchonok will participate en route to Zhodzina on June 13.

The Flame of Peace will finish its journey at Minsk’s Dinamo Stadium on June 21, when the European Games cauldron will be lit during the Opening Ceremony of the multi-sport event.

It is expected that 450 Torchbearers and 100 volunteers will be involved in the Torch Relay.

Sambo is one of 15 sports on the programme of Minsk 2019, which is scheduled to run through to June 30.

Sambo is one of 15 sports on the programme of the Minsk 2019 European Games ©Minsk 2019
Sambo is one of 15 sports on the programme of the Minsk 2019 European Games ©Minsk 2019

Competition will be held at Sports Palace on June 22 and 23 with athletes competing for 18 sets of medals – nine for men and nine for women.

The Flame of Peace begun its 50-day journey to Minsk at Ara Pacis in Rome last Friday (May 3).

The 11th-hour withdrawal of four-time Olympic biathlon champion Darya Domracheva through illness forced organisers to make late changes, but the ceremony was still considered a moving spectacle worthy of the dramatic and historic setting.

The Flame of Peace was then taken to the summit of Mont Blanc despite fierce blizzard conditions.