MOSCOW - Russia are aiming to repeat their third place finish in the medals table at Beijing in 2008 when the squad competes at next month's London Olympics, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on June .
Russia are sending up to 450 competitors to London and Mutko
expects a strong showing in boxing, gymnastics, synchronised
swimming and athletics where world record-breaking pole vaulter
Yelena Isinbayeva will try to retain the title she won in 2008
and 2004.
“We will not catch up with the United States or China at
this Olympics but we can compete with Britain and Germany for
third place in the medals table,” he told a news conference.
“It will be very difficult to win more medals than Britain
who are at home … but if we end up fourth this will also be no
tragedy.”
The Olympics may mark the first visit by Russian President
Vladimir Putin to Britain in nine years, his spokesman said
earlier in June amid tense relations between London and Moscow
over security, diplomacy and human rights issues.
Russia will host the 2014 Winter Olympics at the Black Sea
resort of Sochi and soccer’s World Cup in 2018.
