How many different sports is the Russian national team going to compete in, and is it going to compete in any of them for the first time?
As of now, 410 Russian athletes passed the Olympic selection in 30 different sports (out of the total 32), such as canoeing and kayaking, track and field, and gymnastics. Russian Championships that will take place in June and July of this year are crucial for athletes willing to compete in the Olympics.
How many people are in the Russian Olympic Team?
The total number of accredited athletes, coaches and specialists will probably be around 700 people, with 430-440 of them being athletes. The exact number will depend on the results of the last qualifying competitions.
Who do you consider to be your main rival at the London Olympic Games?
In unofficial team standings China and the US will certainly be the main rivals. Our goal, as I said before, is to make it to the top three. I think there will be serious competition with the English, because the home team usually shows good performance.
What kind of difficulties could the Russian team face during the Games? Will the climate and time change affect the athletes’ performance?
No. As opposed to the previous games in Beijing, I don’t think we will have acclimatization problems in London. The climate there is similar to that of Russia and the time difference is only minor. Last time, we had to put our athletes in climatic conditions similar to those of China, but this time many athletes will go to London straight from our home bases. We have great conditions at our training centers in Novogorsk and on Lake Krugloe, so there is no point in going anywhere else.
What does participation in Olympic Games mean to Russia?
The Games are a world event, the most important sports event that actually goes beyond the limits of sport. The whole country is going to watch our performance, everyone is going to be involved, even those who have no serious interest in sports. Participating in the Olympics is an honor for Russians, something to be proud of, something that maintains the dignity of our country.
What would be interesting to learn and what kind of experience at the London Olympics could be useful for the Sochi Games?
Countries that are getting ready to host Olympic Games always use the experience of other nations that have hosted Olympics in the past; it’s common practice. We are actually going to send a large team of Sochi Games organizers to the London Olympics.
Last question. It’s a little off topic but still connected to the Games. Yesterday it became known that Maria Sharapova is going to be the flag bearer at the London Olympics. Why was she chosen for such an honorable role?
The final decision is yet to be made, but I think that Maria deserves to be the flag bearer of our team. Usually, it’s the strongest and most popular athletes that are chosen to be flag bearers. For example it’s already known that the Spanish have chosen Rafael Nadal to carry their flag, and the Swiss picked Roger Federer. Tennis players are some of the most popular athletes in the world and Sharapova is the #1 female tennis player in the world. She just recently won the French Open, so I think she’s quite worthy of being Russia’s flag bearer.
"I'd love to open a tennis school for children in my hometown of Sochi." said Sharapova Maria.
