First medals for Russia in Rio

Fourteen sets of medals will be awarded on day three of the Summer Olympic Games in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro. Competitions will be held in shooting, gymnastics, judo, diving, fencing, weightlifting, rugby and swimming. Russia’s women’s volleyball and handball team will play the next games.
The first Olympic medals in artistic gymnastics will be awarded in the men’s team tournament where the finals will begin at 22.00 Moscow Time. After Saturday’s qualifying session the Russian national squad (Denis Ablyazin, David Belyavsky, Ivan Stretovich, Nikolai Kuksesnkov and Nikita Nagorny) finished third, after China and the United States.

The Russian team is looking forward to the Olympic medals in fencing where women’s individual sabre competitions will be held. Among the competitors are Sofiya Velikaya, a seven-time world champion and silver medal winner at the London 2012 Games, Yekaterina Dyachenko, a two-time world champion, and world champion Yana Egorian. Rivalry in this event is pretty tough. Ukraine’s Olga Kharlan, a two-time world champion and gold medalist at the Beijing Olympics, two-time Olympic champion Mariel Zagunis of the United States, South Korea’s Kim Ji-yeon, a 2012 Olympic champion and Cecilia Berder of France are among the likely contenders.

Four sets of medals will be contested by swimmers, with Russia pinning biggest hopes on Yuliya Efimova who will compete in women’s 100m breaststroke. Efimova was second to Lilia King of the United States reaching semifinals.