Popular TV presenter Yana Churikova successfully passes GTO tests

Yana Churikova, a popular TV presenter and an Ambassador of the Russian National GTO Health and Fitness Programme, has successfully passed all the GTO tests. The event was held at the Moskvich Specialised Children and Youth Sports School of the Olympic Reserve. Churikova performed the tests of her age grade, that included running, pulling-up from a hang position on a high bar, long jumping, flexibility test, etc. Her results correspond to the gold GTO badge.

"Thanks to my regular workouts, that include yoga and pilates, I easily passed the flexibility test. Running was a bit more difficult. You know, these tests require a complex of moral and volitional powers. You are tired, and your body says "No", but you understand that you are a commander, you command your own body. This is where your character shows up – if you are unable to agree with yourself, you are unable to agree with anybody else by definition," said Churikova.

The TV presenter also noted that the GTO Ambassador status became one of her strongest motivators to perform the GTO tests among the first volunteers. Having done this, Churikova wants to prove that everyone should try to perform tests of their age grade. "By passing these tests, I wanted to demonstrate to everyone that we can do this," she added.

The GTO Ambassadors project is being implemented by the Ministry of Sport of Russia since October 2014, and its goal is to promote and popularise the GTO Programme among population. The first GTO Ambassadors as part of the Russia – Country of Sports International Sports Exhibition became the Hero of the Russian Federation and three-time Olympic champion Aleksandr Karelin, three-time Olympic synchronised swimming champion Olga Brusnikina, and world boxing champion Nikolay Valuev. In 2015, the team of Federal Ambassadors was joined by Olympic figure skating champion Adelina Sotnikova, four-time Olympic swimming champion Alexander Popov, popular TV presenter Yana Churikova, renowned figure skater Irina Slutskaya, two-time Olympic diving champion Dmitry Sautin, prominent athlete and nine-time Olympic champion Larisa Latynina, and representatives of the All-Russia People's Front (ONF).

Yana Churikova's performance of the GTO tests is one of the first approbation events within the second GTO implementation phase that started in 2016. During 2016, all people aged from 6 to 29 (1-6 age ranges) who are included in the "student" category – schoolchildren, students, masters, bachelors – and able-bodied population (in an approbation mode) may perform the GTO tests in official classification (i.e. with the receiving of a GTO badge of a respective level).