RUSSIA: WINTER OLYMPICS - Muscovites start countdown to 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi

Record ID: 331201

  • Title: RUSSIA: WINTER OLYMPICS - Muscovites start countdown to 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi
  • Date: 7th February 2013
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (FEBRUARY 7, 2013) (REUTERS) CEREMONY FOR MOSCOW OLYMPIC CLOCK BEGINNING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE IN CROWD WAVING MOSCOW FLAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) MOSCOW MAYOR SERGEI SOBYANIN, SAYING: "Moscow is a city with a big sports traditions. Moscow loves to practice sports, and Moscow has a habit of winning. There are 600 Olympic champions and medalists today in Moscow." PEOPLE IN CROWD (SOUNDBITE) (Russian) RUSSIAN FEDERAL PRESIDENTIAL REPRESENTATIVE ALEXANDER BEGLOV, SAYING: "We have one year left before the opening of the winter Olympics. One year. On one hand, that's a lot of time. But on the other hand, one year is so short. For fans, one year is a long time, and for athletes, who have to prepare for competition, it's too short. Our country has been waiting for this event for 33 years." VARIOUS OF CHILDREN IN CROWD SOBYANIN, BEGLOV AND OTHERS STARTING CLOCK CHILDREN AND FLAGS CLOSE UP OF CLOCK CONFETTI STREAMERS FLYING NEAR CLOCK
  • Embargoed: 22nd February 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVAC45DD77YXS3QD0Q42A9LU1KS9
  • Story Text: Russian officials and sports fans started the official Moscow countdown clock for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics on Thursday (February 7), one year ahead of the Games start.
    Children waving Moscow flags cheered on Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and a representative for Russian President Vladimir Putin as they pressed a big red button to start the countdown in the nation's capital.
    While officials have set up countdown clocks in other cities - in Olympic host city Sochi, St. Petersburg, and Khabarovsk - Sobyanin said Moscow would be the natural heart of Russian Olympic fervour.
    "Moscow is a city with a big sports traditions. Moscow loves to practice sports, and Moscow has a habit of winning. There are 600 Olympic champions and medalists today in Moscow," Sobyanin said.
    Putin's representative Alexander Beglov said the anticipation of the Games was palpable.
    "We have one year left before the opening of the winter Olympics. One year. On one hand, that's a lot of time. But on the other hand, one year is so short. For fans, one year is a long time, and for athletes, who have to prepare for competition, it's too short. Our country has been waiting for this event for 33 years," Beglov said.
    The Sochi Games are a prestige project for Putin that will allow him to showcase Russia's ability to organise major events and boost its international image.
    Russia will spend more than 1.5 trillion roubles ($50 billion) of public and private funds to stage the Winter Games in February 2014, including extensive upgrades to roads and other infrastructure, a senior official said last week.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register