Proud Of The Nation: Famous Belarusians - Part 5

… from politics

Iosif Goshkevich

A diplomat, Orientalist, explorer, the first Consul of the Russian Empire in Japan and the author of the first Japanese-Russian dictionary. Several species of insects and the gulf in North Korea (Chosan-man) were named after him. He was born in Rechitsa District (Gomel Oblast) in 1814. The 200th birthday of Iosif Goshkevich has been included into the UNESCO Calendar of Events for 2014-2015.

Shimon Peres

Shimon Peres is a famous Israeli politician and the current President of the State of Israel. He was born in village Vishnyeva, Valozhin district, Minsk region, Belarus. Peres' family immigrated to Palestine and settled in Tel Aviv in 1934. He engaged in politics since the age of 16. Shimon Peres won the 1994 Nobel Peace Prize together with Yitzhak Rabin and Yasser Arafat for the peace talks in which he participated as Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs. Peres was elected the President of the State of Israel by the Knesset on June, 13 2007.

Michal Kleofas Oginski

A diplomat, politician, participant of the Kosciuszko Uprising and a talented composer. He wrote his famous polonaise Farewell to the Homeland in the Oginski family estate in Zalesie (Grodno Oblast). The 250th birthday of Michal Kleofas Oginski has been included into the UNESCO Calendar of Events for 2014-2015.

Chaim Wiezman

Born in Belarus in the village Motol (nowadays - Ivanovo district, Brest region) in 1874. Haim Weizman was an outstanding chemist who gave lectures in Switzerland and Great Britain. As an active Zionist he was selected as a first president of Israel (1949) and remained at this post until his death (1952).

… from business

Sofia Grojsman

Sofia Grojsman is one of the best perfumers in the world. She established more than 20 formulas of the 30 most popular names of perfumes, colognes, eau de toilette and laundry detergent. There are the following among them: Paris and Yvresse by Yves Saint Laurent, Eternity for Women by Calvin Klein, symbolizing femininity Tresor by Lancome, as well as many famous Estee Lauder perfume. But the most interesting thing is that Sophia came from Belarus and now she has made the spirits which devotes her homeland.

Ralph Lauren

Ralph Lauren was born in New York. He was a son of Jewish immigrants from Belarus. In 1967, Ralph Lauren founded the company Polo Ralph Lauren and in 1968 released his first collection of men's clothing pret-a-porter. The casual style of the designer, which absorbed the culture of the American West, made Ralph Lauren famous very quickly. Since 1971, Lauren began to produce women's clothing line. Besides clothes, Ralph Lauren released under his own name brand furnishings, accessories, perfumes, pet products.

David Sarnoff

He was a Belarusian-born American businessman and pioneer of American radio and television. He is extremely unusual, ahead of his time shrewd businessman. Before leaving for New York he was called David Sarnow and lived in the Belarusian village Uzlyany. Sarnoff first worked at the famous Italian Marconi since 1906. April 14, 1912 he received a wireless message about the collapse of the liner "Titanic" and was three days in touch with rescuers. David Sarnoff organized regular broadcasting in the United States (since 1939).

… from sports

Alexander Medved

Belarusian sportsman and trainer (freestyle wrestling). Olympic Champion (1964, 1968, 1972) and World Champion (1962, 1963, 1966, 1967, 1969–1971). He is recognised as the best freestyle wrestler of the XX century.

Olga Korbut

She is a Belarusian Soviet gymnast who won four gold medals and two silver medals at the Summer Olympics, in which she participated in 1972 and 1976 for the USSR team. She is also well known in the world as the "Sparrow from Minsk". In 1988 Olga Korbut was the first gymnast to be inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

Catherine Vandareva

Belarusian Catherine Vandareva is the world and European champion in Thai boxing, which is one of the most severe and bloody sport. She believes that beauty and martial arts can not be separated, and tries to set an example to prove it.

Vitaly Shcherbo

A Belarusian sportsman (artistic gymnastics). Gold medal winner at the XXV Olympic Games (Spain, 1992). The bronze medal winner at the XXVI Olympic Games (USA, 1996). World Champion 14 times , European Champion 10 times. Winner of the Good-will games (USA, 1990). Champion of Universidad (1993, 1995).

Maxim Mirnyi

Maxim Mirnyi is the most famous Belarusian tennis player. He has won a series of international doubles titles and has led the Belarus national team to its best-ever result in the Davis Cup.

Victoria Azarenka

Belarusian professional tennis player, winner of major WTA tournaments, the Olympic champion. In January 2012 Victoria Azarenka became WTA World No. 1 for the first time in her career. At the 2012 London Olympic Games she won the gold medal in the mixed doubles together with Max Mirny and the bronze medal in the women’s singles. She is famous for aggressive and not reserved behavior on the court. Her performance is always accompanied by emotional, deep and powerful strokes.

Darya Domracheva

2014 Sochi Olympic champion in the women’s 10km pursuit, the women’s 15km individual race and the 12.5km mass start. The bronze medalist in the women's 15km individual race at the 2010 Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. The winner of the Biathlon Award 2010 (Female Athlete of the Year).

Aliaksandra Herasimenia

She is a swimmer from Belarus. She specialises in sprint freestyle and backstroke events. At the 2011 World Aquatics Championships, she won the gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle, tied with Jeanette Ottesen of Denmark in a time of 53.45. At the 2012 Summer Olympics, she won silver medals in the 50 and 100-meter freestyle events behind Ranomi Kromowidjojo of the Netherlands.

Wayne Douglas Gretzky

He is a canadian hockey player of Belorussian origin, center forward, one of the most well-known athletes of XX century. The greatest hockey player of all times. From 1978-1988 he played for the club, "Edmonton Oilers", which four times won the Stanley Cup. In the National Hockey League, where Gretzky was nicknamed "the Great One", he set a record 61 times and won the League individual prizes (including 9 most valuable player awards and 10 - scorer of the season). He was among five athletes which set the Olympic flame afire in 2010 in Vancouver.

Dmitri Dashinski

He is a Belarusian freestyle skier. He is a four-time Olympian and two-time Olympic medalist in freestyle aerials, winning bronze at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, and silver in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy. Daschinski was the first man to win two Olympic medals in freestyle aerials. In addition to his Olympic accomplishments, Daschinski finished 1st in the 2006 Men's Overall World Cup Standings.

Ruslan Salei

One of the best sportsmen in Belarus’ hockey history, captain of Belarus' national team. Salei played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Detroit Red Wings, Colorado Avalanche, Florida Panthers and the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, who selected him ninth overall in the 1996 NHL Entry Draft.

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