On September 16, a ceremony was held at Altai State University (AltSU) to present gold GTO badges (Ready for Labor and Defence) to eight students with disabilities. The students were congratulated by Tatyana Antonenko, AltSU Vice-Rector for Youth Policy and Educational Activities, and Sergey Buravlev, Director of the Univer-Force Student Sports Club.

Elena Novikhikhina, an associate professor in the AltSU Department of Physical Education, supervised the students’ preparation for the fitness tests. She emphasized that their achievement was the result of sustained effort:

“We prepare students for the GTO tests during their regular physical education classes. We begin in October, while the actual testing takes place during the spring GTO festival. These students complete special standards designed for people with disabilities. The disciplines and requirements vary for each type of condition, including cerebral palsy, hearing or visual impairment, and musculoskeletal disorders. Unfortunately, such standards currently exist for only a limited number of conditions, meaning that not all interested students were able to participate in the festival. For some of these students, these are not their first gold badges; they have also earned them at previous levels. This demonstrates their strength of character, diligence, and discipline. By receiving these awards, students with disabilities recognize that they are capable of achieving any goal and that there are virtually no obstacles they cannot overcome.”

A gold GTO badge entitles students to an increased state academic scholarship in recognition of their sporting achievements.