- Title: RUSSIA: OLYMPICS 2012 - BOXING - Boxers ready for Olympics
- Date: 20th July 2012
- Summary: LOBNYA, MOSCOW REGION, RUSSIA (JULY 20, 2012) (REUTERS) SPORT HALL EXTERIOR FLAGS NEAR ENTRANCE BANNER ANNOUNCING RUSSIAN OLYMPIC TEAM TEST COMPETITION FIGHT ON RING WITH RUSSIAN OLYMPIC TEAM MEMBER DAVID AIRAPETYAN, IN RED SPECTATORS WATCHING AIRAPETYAN FIGHTING REFEREE NEAR RING AIRAPETYAN, RIVAL FIGHTING SPECTATORS AIRAPETYAN AFTER FIGHT ON RING SPECTATORS NATIONAL TEAM MEMBERS MIKHAIL ALOYAN, IN RED, FIGHTING ON RING SPECTATORS VARIOUS OF ALOYAN'S FIGHT SPECTATORS IN STANDS ALOYAN AFTER FIGHT ON RING NEWS CONFERENCE OF RUSSIAN NATIONAL BOXING TEAM COACH IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN NATIONAL BOXING TEAM HEAD COACH NIKOLAI KHROMOV, SAYING: "Everything at this tournament will certainly depend on how they approach it psychologically. The main difference of the Olympic Games, in comparison to other competitions, is that the one who has stronger nerves wins it, because there is all this rush, fuss and tension, and the one who can endure it will win." JOURNALISTS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN NATIONAL BOXING TEAM HEAD COACH, NIKOLAI KHROMOV, SAYING: "We want to perform well, and I will do my best for our team boxers to show all they can." RUSSIAN NATIONAL TEAM MEMBER SERGEI VODOPYANOV, IN RED, DURING FIGHT WITH SPARRING PARTNER SPECTATORS VODOPYANOV FIGHTING REFEREE RINGS THE BELL VODOPYANOV DECLARED WINNER SPECTATORS VARIOUS OF ALL RUSSIAN BOXING TEAM MEMBERS ROWING WITH FLOWERS FOR A PHOTO SESSION
- Embargoed: 4th August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Russian Federation
- Country: Russia
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA430IWP3TY1Y65K9XZB9U1MZSI
- Story Text: Russia on Friday (July 20) announced its women's and men's boxing teams for the 2012 Olympics, to be held in London by staging a final fight with members of the men's team near Moscow.
Ten athletes are set to travel to the UK - seven men and three women - to defend Russia's traditional clout in the ring.
Russia, from as early as the Soviet era, has traditionally sent a strong boxing team to the Summer Olympics.
At the Beijing Olympics in 2008 Russian boxers took home two gold and a bronze.
The Russian national team coach Nikolai Khromov said his team is an experienced one, having European and World champions, but that the outcome at the games will depend on the psychological readiness of the athletes.
"Everything at this tournament will certainly depend on how they approach it psychologically. The main difference of the Olympic Games, in comparison to other competitions, is that the one who has stronger nerves wins it, because there is all this rush, fuss and tension, and the one who can endure it will win," he told journalists during a news conference on Friday.
When asked what and how many medals he expected his team to win he avoided a direct answer.
"We want to perform well, and I will do my best for our team boxers to show all they can," he said, adding that much will also depend on the lotting and schedule.
Among the strongest teams which have several fighters each who had a chance at a gold medals, Khromov mentioned the Cuban, U.S., Italian, French, Uzbek and Kazakh teams.
A representative of the Russian Boxing Federation said that he would consider it a success if the national team won three medals - just one medal of each value in general.
The 2012 Russian team includes Mikhail Aloyan - a winner of the bronze medal at the 2009 Milan World Championship, and gold medal winner at the 2010 Moscow European championship.
Others on the men's team include David Ayrapetyan, Sergei Vodopyanov, Andrei Zamkovoy, Yegor Mekhontsev, Artur Beterbiev, and Magomed Omarov.
On the women's team Elena Sabeleva, Sofia Ochigava and Nadezhda Torlopova will represent Russia.
Womens boxing is making its Olympic debut in London this year, ending the last Olympic sport to be open only to men.
The 2012 Summer Olympics are set to begin this month with the opening ceremony taking place on Friday July 27. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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