Caucasian records in London

Alexei Balashov, Yeugeny Krishtalyev. Exclusively to VK

The Olympic fire is out in London. Participants will remember bright moments and the medals, which many cried. These were tears of happiness. But medals were gained only by the best and the luckiest people. That is why the opposite side of medals is full of disappointment. The Olympic Games are different for different people, as well as results showed by different countries.

The Russian national team managed to make up for the failure of the first days and ended the Olympic Games with better results than in Beijing – the fourth place in the unofficial team total. 82 medals were won – 24 gold, 26 silver, and 32 bronze. Track and field athletes showed the best results in the Russian team, they gained 8 gold medals. The winners were Ivan Ukhov, Anna Chicherova (high jumping), Sergey Kirdyapkin, Elena Lashmanova (racewalking), Maria Savinova (women’s 800 m), Yulia Zaripova (Women’s 3000 m), Natalya Antyukh (Women’s 400 m), and Tatyana Lysenko (Hammer throwing). Also Russian track and field athletes won 4 silver and 6 bronze medals.

The second place among the most effective kinds of sport for Russia is wrestling. Wrestlers gained 4 gold, 3 silver, and 5 bronze medals. The champions are Jamal Otarsultanov (under 55 kg), Roman Vlasov (74 kg), Alan Khugayev (84), and Natalya Vorobyova (72).

Three gold medals were brought by judoists – Arsen Galstyan (60 kg), Mansur Isayev (73 kg), and Tagir Khaibulayev (100 kg). They also have silver and bronze medals. Two gold medals have rhythmic gymnastics team (it also has silver medal), as well as synchronized swimming team. Yeugenia Kanayeva became the champion in all-round rhythmic gymnastics.

One gold medal was gained in boxing, rowing, diving, artistic gymnastics, and volleyball. The champions are Yegor Mekhontsev (boxing, under 81 kg), Yuri Postrigai and Alexander Dyachenko (rowing, canoe 200 m), Ilya Zakhariv (diving, 3 m springboard), Aliya Mustafina (artistic gymnastics, uneven bars), and men volleyball team.

Kazakhstan performed successfully in London. It achieved 7 gold medals, 4 of them in power-lifting. The well-known bicycle racer Alexander Vinokurov also won gold medal for the Caspian country. And two more gold medals were gained by Olga Rypakova in field and track athletics and boxer Serik Sapiyev. Moreover the Kazakh athletes won one silver and five bronze medals. The total amount of Kazakhstan medals in London is 13.

The Iranian national team showed significant progress in comparison with Beijing where it won only one gold and one bronze medal. In London Iranians achieved 4 gold medals. The total amount of medals is 12.

Azerbaijani athletes also showed bright performances. The Olympic national team of Azerbaijan was a slow burner, but when it came to wrestling medals flew in hands of Azerbaijani athletes. However, the first medal was gained by power-lifter Valentin Khristov (under 56 kg). Then boxers achieved bronze medals, even though Azerbaijan hoped to take top places in this kind of sport.

At first it might seem that Azerbaijan would fail the Games and the medal plan. By the way, the start of the Russian team was estimated with the same pessimism. But judoists rescued Russia, and wrestlers helped Azerbaijan. The traditionally strong Caucasian school showed great results once again. Silver and bronze medals in Greco-Roman wrestling and brilliant achievements in freestyle wrestling confirmed potential of the whole Azerbaijani sport. Two gold, one silver and two bronze medals were gained by Azerbaijani freestyle wrestlers. In wrestling Azerbaijan left behind all its neighbors in the region.

Unfortunately, disappointments took place as well. Traditionally strong in rhythmic gymnastics the Azerbaijani team didn’t get medals in London. Azerbaijan’s hope was the stable and ambitious gymnast Aliya Garayeva. She was third in qualification, but in the final she didn’t get 0.125 necessary for bronze. The result is hurtful fourth place and tears.

The total amount of Azerbaijani medals is splendid – 10. Azerbaijan surpassed its results in all previous Olympics. Azerbaijan took the 15th place among European countries and the 5th place among the post-Soviet countries, it yielded to Russia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Turkey also achieved two gold medals (one in power-lifting and another in taekwondo). Turkey also has two silver medals. But the country gained less bronze medals than Azerbaijan (only one medal). Therefore, the total amount of medals is 5.

Georgia also is in advance of Turkey. Georgian athletes achieved 7 medals, but only one gold – in judo. Other medals were taken by traditionally strong in this country Greco-Roman wrestlers and freestyle wrestlers.

Armenian athletes failed to get gold medals, but they have one silver and two bronze medals.