Medvedev expects Olympic team to bless Russia with success

[North Pole Resident]

10 days to go.... http://en.beijing2008.cn

http://www.chinese-architecture.info/ATT00358.jpg

Beijing National Stadium

http://www.chinese-architecture.info

[North Pole Resident]

19:00 | 29/ 07/ 2008

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/07wU6As3PN6Uk/610x.jpg


July 29, 2008

GRAND KREMLIN PALACE, MOSCOW.
With members of Russia’s Olympic Team.

The head of state wished the athletes competing in Beijing success. He had special words of support for those who will participate in the Olympics for the first time.
The President expressed his confidence that the Russian team will demonstrate its athletic qualities at the Olympics.
The composition of the team was approved by the Russian Olympic Committee on 28 July. 467 Russian athletes will participate in the competitions in China.

http://kremlin.ru/eng/sdocs/themes.shtml#204713


MOSCOW, July 29 (RIA Novosti) - President Dmitry Medvedev told Russian athletes attending a Kremlin ceremony Tuesday before flying off to Beijing that he was pulling for them to win medals at the Olympic Games.

"There are grounds to expect bright victories," Medvedev told the athletes. "We will not make predictions, but we will pull for you with all our hearts, keep our fingers crossed and believe in your victory and skills."
He gave special encouragement to the sportsmen and women making their debut at this Olympics, which begin in Beijing on August 8.
"Sports like those who dare, and luck is on newcomers' side," Medvedev said.
The Russian team is made up of 467 athletes, who will compete in 244 events.

READ MORE -- http://en.rian.ru/russia/20080729/115183926.html

[North Pole Resident]

8 days to go.... http://en.beijing2008.cn


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2390/2469527231_c642b014ae.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/01nf7g9gnqezf/610x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05EH7TudEc3vT/610x.jpg


MOSCOW - JULY 29: Russian Olympic team members and officials listen during a religious service given for them in the Assumption Cathedral at the Kremlin on July 29, 2008 in Moscow, Russia.



The Assumption Cathedral, Moscow

For six centuries the Assumption Cathedral had been the state and cultural center of Russia: Great Princes were set for reigning and local princes swore fealty, inaugurations of Tsars and coronations of Emperors took place here. Bishops, Metropolitans and Patriarchs were inaugurated, statements and ceremonial documents were publicly read, church services before military campaigns and in case of a victory were held at the Assumption Cathedral.

The first stone cathedral’s foundation was laid in 1326 by the first Moscow Metropolitan Peter and Prince Ivan Kalita (Money-bag). In late XV century, Great Prince Ivan III who had consolidated all Russian princedoms under the power of Moscow, began the construction of the new residence from rebuilding of the Assumption Cathedral. It was erected by a specially invited Italian architect in 1479.

READ MORE -- http://www.kremlin.museum.ru/en/main/museums/dormite

[North Pole Resident]

American Becky Hammon to play for Russia at Beijing Olympics :D


http://209.63.75.178//multimedia/images/IMG_0005.jpg

http://www.blackhillsportal.com/cnt/files/News%20Photos/hammon2.jpg

Becky Hammon, one of the most popular players in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), is caught in a controversy over her decision to join the Russian Olympic team. Labelled as a traitor by her American colleagues, she has defended her right to choose.

Under the impression that she would miss out on U.S. selection, Hammon claimed a spot on the Russian basketball team in the 2008 Olympics. She got Russian citizenship earlier in 2008 after signing a four-year contract with CSKA.

Hammon has no Russian roots. On the contrary, she is considered to be 100% American as she comes from the US heartland. The athlete believes her decision is rooted in a classic American ideal - freedom of action.
"I didn't say no to USA Basketball," Hammon recently told the Houston Chronicle. "I don't think people would be as upset if I was playing for Switzerland. God loves Russia just as much as God loves America."

READ MORE -- http://russiatoday.com/sports/news/28466


“I love my country but since I’ve been here Russia has been very good to me. The people have treated me very kindly and I enjoy it over here,” the new Russian citizen said.

“The Olympics don’t happen that often – there’s only one in four years. Russia dramatically lacks backcourt players. As good as Rakhmatulina or Korsova are, they are not playmakers. In Hammon we get skills, experience and consistent points. If she wants to become Russian and play for the national team, I don’t see anything wrong with it,” says Evgeny Gomelsky, the coach of the women’s national team.

http://russiatoday.com/sports/news/28466


http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0f6p1v3a0U67K/610x.jpg

1 day ago: Even though she is wearing a Russian uniform, Becky Hammon holds her hand over her heart during "The Star Spangled Banner" ahead of the basketball game between the the US and Russia at the Women's Diamond Ball Basketball tournament, a warm up for the Olympics, in Haining, China, Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. Hammon wasn't in the 29 player pool used to select the US Olympic team. So she chose another option: playing for Russia.


http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0bEO0KJ2AE1eA/610x.jpg

South Dakota native and Russia's guard Becky Hammon sits on the bench alongside the Russian team and listens to her coach during a basketball game between the US and Russia at the Women Diamond Ball Basketball tournament, a warm up for the Olympics, in Haining, China, Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. Hammon wasn't in the 29 player pool used to select the US Olympic team. So she chose another option: playing for Russia. The US beat Russia 93 to 58.


http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0esH82HgD27fV/340x.jpg

1 day ago: South Dakota native and Russia's guard Becky Hammon warms up with her team ahead of a basketball game between the U.S. and Russia at the Women's Diamond Ball Basketball tournament, a warm up for the Olympics, in Haining, China, Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. Hammon wasn't in the 29 player pool used to select the U.S. Olympic team. So she chose another option: playing for Russia. The U.S. beat Russia 93 to 58.

Becky Hammon Official Website - http://www.beckyhammon.com

[North Pole Resident]

:eusa_dance: :eusa_clap:

:D

Russia's final medal tally includes 23 golds, 21 silvers and 28 bronze, giving a total of 72 medals to finish in third place in the table.



VIDEO -- http://russiatoday.com/Olympics-2008/news/29419/video

Day 16: Overall positive outcome
August 24 brought Russia two gold and one bronze.

Russia’s final gold medal of the Beijing Olympics was won around noon Moscow time in the lightweight (60 kg) category boxing.


READ MORE -- http://www.russiatoday.com/Olympics-2008/news/29322

[North Pole Resident]

:D :D

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/025a85j2hb2rx/cover_650x435.jpg

The closing ceremony of The 29th Olympic Games

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/24/xinsrc_382080524203925008551.jpg

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/24/xin_5020805242215968872684.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/06QoghXb5g4QK/610x.jpg

Russian gold medalists from the women's 4x100-meter relay team smile with their medals during an awarding ceremony in the athletics competitions in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008. From left, Aleksandra Fedoriva, Yuliya Chermoshanskaya, Evgeniya Polyakova and Yuliya Gushchina.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/24/content_9619076.htm

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/24/content_9690813.htm

VIDEO -- http://russiatoday.com/Olympics-2008/news/29419/video

[North Pole Resident]

http://www.russiatoday.com/media/image/3/48b14c0be6dac.jpg



An outstanding performance by Russia's synchronised swimmers took Russia into third place on the Olympic medal standings. The eight-member synchronised swimming team scored perfect tens in the free routine programme to win a gold medal with a staggering total of 99.500 points.



http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0gQV3Wi8Sm4x0/610x.jpg

Russia's Anastasia Davydova, Anastasia Ermakova, Maria Gromova, Natalia Ishchenko, elvira Khasyavova, Olga Kuzhela, Elena Ovchinnikova, Svetlana Romashina perform the team free routine in the synchronized swimming during the final round at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2008.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0gawdE78it5Qj/610x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/00yMesP4BVgaK/610x.jpg

Anastasia Davydova, Anastasia Ermakova, Maria Gromova, Natalia Ishchenko, Elvira Khasyanova, Olga Kuzhela, Svetlana Romashina, and Anna Shorina of Russia perform the team technical routine in synchronized swimming during the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing Friday, Aug. 22, 2008.

VIDEO -- http://russiatoday.com/Olympics-2008/news/29419/video

VIDEO -- http://www.russiatoday.com/Olympics-2008/news/29322/video

[greektzon]

BRAVO Russia!!!!:eusa_dance::eusa_dance:

[North Pole Resident]

BRAVO Russia!!!!:eusa_dance::eusa_dance:

Thanks.
What happened to all-mighty Greeks? :hmmm: :)

Overall Medal Standings http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml

[North Pole Resident]

Russians claim third place in Olympics medals table


8 hours ago:
Members of Russia's Olympic team arrive from the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in Moscow's Sheremetyevo airport August 25, 2008.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/09fj00Kabu4bH/610x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/0aIydlnfnK4PN/610x.jpg

A Russian olympic team athlete is greeted by fans upon her return to Moscow on August 25, 2008. Russia placed third in the overall medal count.


From RT:

August 25, 2008, 9:58

After 16 days of tough competition, Russia's athletes are homeward bound after finishing in third place in the rankings. There were triumphs and disappointments, which will now enter the history books.But it was certainly the hosts of the games, China, which have most reason to celebrate. They won fifty-one golds with an overall tally of 100 medals and claimed first place in the rankings.
The Russians made a very slow start to the competition and managed to improve only at the end of the games.

“It was very difficult to compete against ourselves. The main difficulty was psychological, not physical. We had to work even more than we did before the previous Olympic Games, because expectations were even higher this time. We had to come up with an even more sophisticated programme, more technical perfection,” said Anastasia Ermakova of the victorious Russian synchronised swimming team.

Twenty-three golds and an overall tally of 72 medals would be a decent result for many countries. However, the Russian team's performances at the previous two games were better. Nevertheless the Russian Olympic Committee regards the outcome as a success, as the main goal of finishing in third place overall was reached after all.

Igor Kazikov from the Russian Olympic Committee noted with each Olympics it takes more effort to win: “I believe this result is high, though it’s lower than expected. But the U.S. also won fewer medals than before. It proves a world trend - that it’s getting harder to grab medals. All sportsmen train intensively, coaches use sophisticated training methods and states invest more funds in sport”.
The one team which really made a strong breakthrough at the games is Great Britain. Eight golds in cycling alone, four golds in sailing and 19 overall top medals, not to mention a final fourth spot in the rankings. This is something that hasn't happened for the last 100 years.
For some fans from the UK the trip to China has been about business, as well as reconnaissance prior to London's hosting of the next Summer Olympics in 2012.

Source: http://www.russiatoday.com/Olympics-2008/news/29432


RT VIDEO -- http://www.russiatoday.com/Olympics-2008/news/29322/video

[faceless]

I think if you were born American you'd be the world's best neo-con.

[greektzon]

Thanks.
What happened to all-mighty Greeks? :hmmm: :)

Overall Medal Standings http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/GL/95A/GL0000000.shtml

The Greek olympic team unfortunatelly without gold.:(
I am sure its tripping up from our enemies.
Zionists and turks.
But dont worry.
Our prime minister will come your country next month,and with your president they will talk and for this conspiracy.

[North Pole Resident]

The Greek olympic team unfortunatelly without gold.:(
I am sure its tripping up from our enemies.
Zionists and turks.


I think you need to try harder next time in London.... :)


But dont worry.
Our prime minister will come your country next month,and with your president they will talk and for this conspiracy.

OK... :)


___________________


Russian Olympic champions Maxim Opalev (L) and Larisa Ilchenko (2nd L) pose with their gold medals as President Dmitry Medvedev (R) looks on during a meeting with Russian Olympic team in the Kremlin in Moscow on August 30, 2008.


http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/05gFgzhfMy2gP/610x.jpg

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/03mV8X889t5mI/340x.jpg

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (C) smiles as Olympic high jumper champion Andrey Silnov (R) puts on him a gold medal during a meeting with Russian Olympic team in the Kremlin in Moscow on August 30, 2008.

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/04Pcgaef1X2SH/610x.jpg


Russian President Dmitry Medvedev (C) smiles as Olympic champion Andrey Silnov (2nd R) puts on him a gold medal during a meeting with Russian Olympic team in the Kremlin in Moscow on August 30, 2008.