Summer Paralympic Games-2012 start in London

The XIV Paralympic Summer Games in London start on Wednesday, August 29. 180 sportsmen will present Russia, including 16 fr om Republic of Bashkortostan: light athletes Elena Pautova, Alexei Labzin, Andre Koptev, Anna Sorokina, Albert Asadullin, Ildar Pomykalov, Andre Zirnov, Anastasia Ovsyannikova, Aigul Sakhibzadaeva, swimmers Oksana Savchenko, Alexander Nevolin-Svetov, Michael Zimin, fencers Marat Usupov, Ivan Andreev, Timur Khamatshin and Timur Faizullin.

At the previous Paralympic Games-2008 in Beijing the Russian national team included 17 republican sportsmen. They’ve won 9 medals. Oksana Savchenko has three golden medals in swimming and three world records, Oleg Kretsul has a golden medal in judo, Andre Strokin – two bronzes in swimming and Ildar Pomykalov has won bronze medal in marathon.

The Vice-President of Russian Paralympic Committee, State Duma deputy Rimma Batalova has arrived in the staff of Russian national team in London the day before. Within the frames of the visit she will pay a visit to the Olympic village, wh ere she intends to talk to Russian sportsmen, members of Russian national Paralympic staff and medics. She will also take part in business meeting with the President of the International Paralympic Committee Sir Philipp Craven.