Belarus finalise roster for Rio Olympics

MINSK (Rio 2016 Olympic Games) - Belarusian Basketball Federation has confirmed on Thursday that two new players have been added to the final roster for the Rio Olympics.  

Belarus head coach Anatoli Buyalski has kept most of the squad from last month's 2016 FIBA Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT), but he brought in power forward Maryia Filonchyk and point guard Aliaksandra Tarasava to replace Natalia Anufryienka and 16-year-old Kseniya Malashka.

While Tarasava, who last represented Belarus at the 2014 FIBA World Championship for Women, is making her comeback from a serious knee injury, Filonchyk is set to make her debut with the senior team.

In the meantime, Phoenix Mercury guard Lindsey Harding, who missed the initial part of the preparation due to her WNBA commitments, will be joining the Buyalski's team in Rio where they have a confirmed warm-up game against African champions Senegal.

"The players are highly motivated because the Rio Olympics could be the last one for some of them. They are eager to play their best and succeed in Rio," Irina Zhylach, the team General Manager, said to FIBA.com. 

Six Beijing Olympians will be competing in Rio - including Yelena Leuchanka, Anastasiya Verameyenka, Katsiaryna Snytsina, Tatyana Troina, Tatsiana Likhtarovich and Nataliya Trafimava.

Belarus are in Group A alongside, France, Turkey, Australia, hosts Brazil and Japan.

After spending most of their post-WOQT preparations in the capital Minsk, the Belarusians will be traveling to Rio on Sunday 26 July. 

FIBA