The Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro will be remembered for many events, but for Russia and the South Caucasus countries it will go down in history as one of the most difficult and the most successful. Russia, being under an unprecedented pressure from the International Anti-Doping Association, was able to hold onto the fourth place in the medal standings, even missing about a third of the team. Azerbaijan has set a personal record in the number of medals and Armenia has won the first gold medal in the last twenty years.
Until the last day Russia's had to compete with Germany for the fourth place (the first three teams US- UK-China were unreachable), and only after winning the last gold medals in rhythmic gymnastics and wrestling, the Russian team clinched the spot. The WADA, the International Olympic Committee, International Federations for individual sports have carried out a planned attack on Russia, taking the decision on banning this or that Russian sportsman to the very last moment. Of course, it made it difficult for the athletes to train for the games.
But all this organizations have failed: 18 gold, 18 silver and 19 bronze Olympic medals prove them wrong. Certainly, without a worldwide harassment of the Russians, there would be more gold medals, including in athletics, weightlifting and rowing. Technically, this is the worst ever result for Russia, even at the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996 the Russian national team won 63 medals (the second place in in the medal standings). At the same time no other victory came to the Russian team at such a high price. Russia has been accused of massive doping, but nevertheless has proven that even missing almost a third of the team it still can make the top four best sports powers of the world.
A brilliant performance of the Russian fencers, who took seven medals, including four gold ones, was outstanding; the fighters were great as always winning nine medals, including four gold ones; all gold medals in synchronized swimming and rhythmic gymnastics went to Russia.
For the first time, the country has won a medal in sailing and gold in the women's handball.
The Azerbaijani national team, which is showing steady growth year after year, has won 18 medals. It is a 80% increase in performance in comparison with the last Olympic Games in London. In the number of awards the Republic was included in the top 15 , alongside the United States, Britain, Russia, China, Germany, France, Japan, Italy, Australia and Canada. Azerbaijani results of the Olympic Games in Rio is one gold, seven silver and ten bronze medals, almost all of them were taken in the traditional sports for the country: judo, taekwondo and wrestling.
In the number of medals the Republic took second place after Russia among the CIS countries and bypassed such countries as Turkey, Sweden, Denmark and Greece, despite the fact that it was represented by only 56 athletes.
Armenia will also remember the Olympics, despite the fact that the republic won only four medals, there is the first in the last 20 years gold medal among them, which was won in the Greco-Roman wrestling. Other three medals are silver.
Georgian athletes won seven medals in Rio, including two gold, one silver and four bronze, as well as set the Olympic record in weightlifting.
