Russia's gold medal haul at Universiade surpass 100

KAZAN, Russia - With the help of 25 Olympic champions, some 50 Olympic medalists and more than 100 world class athletes, and more importantly, the inclusion of 14 optional sports in the Universiade?program, host Russia has won 102 gold?medals at the 2013 Kazan Universiade which will be concluded on July 17.

Athletes of the host nation also took 55 silver and 48 bronze medals to be the run-away leader on medal table.

Japan ranks second with a modest 19 gold, 20 silver and 23 bronze medals. China, which set the previous all-time high record of most gold medals won at a single Universiade two years ago in Shenzhen, places third with 16 gold, 22 silver and 12 bronze medals.

Among the 351 events contested at Kazan Universiade, 246 events have been finished and Russian athletes won gold medals from almost all the 27 sports, 13 compulsory and 14 optional.

Russia has all the reasons to win so many gold medals in Kazan as not only they sent all of their best athletes to the Universiade, but also Russian athletes are competing against low profile opponents, mostly university students and amateurs.

Russia finished fourth on medal table of last year's London Olympic Games and neither of the top three finishers, the United States, China and Britain, sent their top athletes to the Kazan Universiade.

China did send four Olympic champions to Kazan, only to boost morale of the other 286 unexperienced university athletes. Other Olympic champions and top athletes stay at home preparing for the National Games to be held in September.

The United States has won 7 gold, 11 silver and 9 bronze medals at Kazan Universiae while Britain is unable to put its name on medal table so far.

In the remaining three matchdays, Russia is expected to win more gold medals and set an untouchable record of Universiade, even for itself.

The 2013 Kazan Universiade will conclude on July 17.