Belarusian 28-year-old decathlete Andrei Krauchanka won the gold at the European Championships in Athletics, held in Zurich, Switzerland. This is the first award of Belarusian athletes at this championship.

After the 10 species Krauchanka scored 8616 points, having outstripped the closest rival - Kevin Mayer from France on 95 points. Russian athlete Ilya Shkurenev won a bronze medal with 8498 points.    

Andrei Krauchanka became the 23rd in the 100-metre race (793 points), was the 5th in the long jump (967), showed the 4th result in the shot put (801), won the competition in the high jump (1012) took the 20th position in the 400-metrerace (790), was the 7th in the 110 meters hurdles (949), became the 3rd in the discus throw (818), the 5th - in the pole vault (941), won the javelin (861), and then finished with the 14th result in the 1500-metre run (684). 

The sum of points scored by Belorussian sportsman in Zurich, was only 1 point behind his personal record (8617), established in 2007. In addition, Andrei’s 8616 points - the best result of the season in the world. 

Before that Krauchanka’s best result in the decathlon at the European championships was a bronze medal in Barcelona in 2010. 

In addition, Andrei Krauchanka became a silver medalist at the Olympics-2008 in Beijing, and twice – a silver medalist of World Championship in indoor heptathlon (2008, 2014). At theEuropean Championships in indoor heptathlon Krauchanka won the gold (2011) and the bronze (2007). 

Competitions were interrupted twice: first, because of the rain, and then because of the strong wind.