On January 18, a grand opening of the World Championship in ice hockey for youth teams under 20 years old (U20) took place in Bishkek.
The opening of the tournament was accompanied by a colorful concert program and a parade of the national teams that will participate in the competitions. The event gathered representatives from government structures, sports organizations, as well as foreign guests, athletes, and fans.
Welcoming speeches at the ceremony were delivered by Edil Baisalov, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic, Kazybek Moldazhiyev, Director of the State Agency for Physical Culture and Sports, Bishkek Mayor Aibek Junushaliev, Umbetaly Kydyraliev, Chairman of the National Olympic Committee of the Kyrgyz Republic, Franz Reindl, a member of the Council of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and Anvar Omorkanov, President of the Ice Hockey Federation of the Kyrgyz Republic.
On the first day of the championship, a match took place in which the Kyrgyzstan national team, playing on home ice, achieved victory over the team from Hong Kong (China) with a score of 4:1.
The U20 World Ice Hockey Championship will last until January 24 and features teams from Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Luxembourg, South Africa, Iran, and Hong Kong (China).
