In Irkutsk, the traditional 78th athletics relay for the prizes of the newspapers Vostochno-Sibirskaya Pravda and Vostochno-Sibirsky Put, dedicated to the 69th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, was held. More than 2,500 people took part from different cities of the Irkutsk region and Ulan-Ude, and winners were determined in several categories, from schoolchildren and students to work teams. The relay again became not only a sports event, but also an important memorial action uniting the regions residents.

In Irkutsk, on May 18, the traditional 78th track-and-field relay race for the prizes of the newspapers “Vostochno-Sibirskaya Pravda” and “Vostochno-Sibirsky Put,” dedicated to the 69th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War, took place. More than 2,500 people from Irkutsk, Angarsk, Usolye-Sibirskoye and other cities of the region, as well as Ulan-Ude, took part in it.
The track-and-field relay race is held in order to preserve the historical memory of the Great Victory among athletes and residents of Irkutsk, to encourage the population to engage in physical culture and sports, to promote a healthy lifestyle, and to develop mass physical culture movement.
The winners and prizewinners were: among schoolgirls, first place went to School No. 10 (Angarsk), second place to School No. 2 (Ust-Ordynsky settlement), and third place to Boarding School No. 22 (Ulan-Ude). Among schoolboys, first place went to School No. 10 (Angarsk), second place to Lyceum No. 1 (Usolye-Sibirskoye), and third place to Boarding School No. 22 (Ulan-Ude).
Among female technical college students, the team from the Irkutsk College of Transport and Construction became the winner, the Angarsk College of Public Catering and Trade took second place, and the Irkutsk College of Architecture and Construction took third. Among male students, first place went to the team from the Irkutsk College of Mechanical Engineering, second place to the Irkutsk College of Aircraft Construction and Materials Processing, and third place to the Irkutsk College of Transport and Construction.
Among female students of secondary specialized educational institutions, the team from the State Olympic Reserve School won, second place went to the Irkutsk Regional College of Pedagogical Education, and third place to the Irkutsk College of Economics and Law. Among male students of secondary specialized educational institutions, first place went to the team from the Irkutsk Regional College of Pedagogical Education, second place to the State Olympic Reserve School, and third place to the Irkutsk Agricultural College.
Among female university students, first place went to the team from Irkutsk State Technical University (IrSTU), second place to the East Siberian Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation, and third place to Irkutsk State Linguistic University. Among male university students, first place was won by the East Siberian Institute of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, second place by Irkutsk State University, and third place by IrSTU.
Among labor collectives, first place went to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant, second place to the East Siberian Railway team, and third place to VSDI. In the “For Mass Participation” category, the East Siberian Railway won.
The winners and prizewinners were awarded cups, medals, diplomas, and commemorative prizes.
Based on materials from the press service of the Department for Physical Culture and Sports of the Irkutsk Region