Vancouver Day 7: Russia Only Gains Experience

Another day of dismal results for the Russian Olympic Team which to date has three medals (one of each). To say that the best result of the day for Russia was eleventh place in the Women’s Speed Skating 1000 metres sums up what has been so far a very disappointing Olympics. However, Russia’s strongest events are yet to come.

Photo: Vancouver Day 7: Russia Only Gains Experience

Still on Day 6, Russia’s four athletes in the Men’s 1,000 metre speed skating could do no better than 11 (Evgeny Lalenkov), 21 (Dmitry Lobkov), 22 (Aleksei Esin) and 38 (Aleksandr Lebedev) in an event in which the USA got Gold and Bronze and the Republic of Korea took the Silver.

In the Men’s Luge Doubles, Vladimir Machnutin and Vladislav Yuzhakov managed tenth place, while Mikhail Kuzmich and Slanislav Mikheev managed 14th. Austria, Latvia and Germany won the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals.

The women’s curling team beat Denmark 7-3, the only positive note of the day, for the best Russia could do in the Short Track Ladies’ 500 metre finals was Valeria Potemkina’s 25th place, while PR China (Gold), Canada (Silver) and Italy (Bronze) lifted the trophies.

In the final medals event of day 6, the USA won Gold and Bronze and Finland the Silver in the Snowboard Halfpipe Finals (Men). Russia did not compete.

On day 7 (Thursday), Norway, Kazakhstan and Belarus won the three medals in the Women’s Biathlon 15 km individual, while Russia’s four athletes were Olga Medvedtseva (21), Anna Bogaliy-Titovets (25), Olga Zaitseva (26) and Iana Romanova (56).

Russia did not compete in the Ladies’ Alpine Skiing Super Combined Slalom, won by Germany (Gold) with the USA and Sweden getting Silver and Bronze.

Canada and the Netherlands won the medals in the Ladies’ Speed Skating 1000 metres, while Ekaterina Shikhova came in eleventh, and behind her, Olga Fatkulina (20), Ekaterina Malysheva (27) and Ekaterina Lobysheva (28).

Russia’s medals

Men’s Individual Sprint Classic in Cross-Country Skiing; Nikita Kriukov won Gold, Aleksandr Panzhinsky, Silver; Men’s 5,000 metre speed skating Ivan Skobrev, Bronze.

Russia is currently joint 11th with the Netherlands, while the five first places are the USA (15 medals), Germany (11), Norway (8), Canada and France (7).

Timothy BANCROFT-HINCHEY

PRAVDA.Ru