Local Athletes Leave For Olympics, Paralympics

The St. Petersburg Times

Published: July 25, 2012 (Issue # 1719)

charlie riedel / ap The Russian Olympic sailing team arrives at London’s Heathrow Airport last week.

Forty-seven athletes from St. Petersburg are to participate in the London Olympic Games, the city’s Sports Committee said.

St. Petersburg usually sends high numbers of track and field athletes and swimmers to the Olympics. This year, 17 track athletes and six swimmers are due to participate. For the first time ever, a woman from St. Petersburg is to take part in weight-lifting events, Fontanka.ru reported.

In addition to track and field and swimming events, Russia is seen as a strong contender for medals in sea kayaking and canoeing, cycling and catch wrestling.

Yury Avdeyev, head of the city’s Sports Committee, said that if the St. Petersburg athletes win at least 12 medals, their performances will be considered a success, Fontanka.ru reported.

This year will also be the first time since 2000 that St. Petersburg athletes have taken part in the Paralympic Games. During the 2004 Summer Paralympic Games and the 2006 and 2010 Winter Games, no athletes from the city participated. This time around, there are nine athletes from St. Petersburg on the team.