Russia dominated an action-packed first day of sambo action at the 2nd European Games here as they won four of the nine gold medals on offer in the Sports Palace.

Daria Bilodid, Ukraine’s 18-year-old world champion in the under-48 kilograms category, earned the first judo gold of the Games here today by defeating Russian rival Irina Dolgova.

Twenty-year-old Lorena Wiebes, the Dutch cyclist who is having a breakthrough season, offered further evidence of her talents in winning the women’s road race on day two of the second European Games here as she finished narrowly ahead of her compatriot, the three-times world champion Marianne Vos.

The Flame burns above Minsk this morning but many are reflecting on the night before after a spectacular Opening Ceremony which set the tone for the Games.

The 3rd European Games of 2023 will go to Polish hosts Kraków and the Małopolska region following a unanimous vote by European Olympic Committees (EOC) members at an Extraordinary General Assembly here. 

The Minsk 2019 European Games got officially under way here tonight with a sumptuous Opening Ceremony at which, for all the forecasts of storms, not a drop of rain fell.

Russia's male and female 3x3 basketball teams successfully began their European Games title defences as sporting action got under way here.

The lighting of the cauldron in Dinamo Stadium in Minsk will tonight provide the spectacular climax to the European Games Opening Ceremony.

Chairman of the Coordination Commission of the 2019 European Games Spyros Capralos has claimed that the Athletes' Village here has received mainly positive feedback as teams arrive in time for the start of competition.

The 2nd European Games set to get underway here tomorrow and run until June 30 will involve a total of 3,667 athletes from 50 nations.

Organisers of the second European Games which start here in Minsk tomorrow are hoping the Opening Ceremony will miss the worst of the bad weather that is forecast.