For Russia, only gold is good enough

Russia does not like coming second, and third does not even bear thinking about. Its Olympic team is going to Athens for victory.

Russia does not like coming second, and third does not even bear thinking about.

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Its Olympic team is going to Athens to win.

Officials and the media agree the battle for top spot in the medals table will be between Russia, the United States and China.

Russia, with a budget 10 or 20 times lower than its competitors, is determined to improve on the 32 gold medals it took at Sydney four years ago, which put it in second place behind the United States.

"We are going for first place in the medals table," Olympic committee chief Leonid Tyagachyov said. "We might come second or, in the worst case, third."

The winner's mentality stems from the Soviet era when the country raked in medals to triumph over its cold war nemesis, the United States, for political as well as sporting reasons.

A graph on Russia's Olympic website www.athens-2004.ru predicted Russia would win 38 golds, with the United States just behind on 36, while China would trail in third place with 30.

Many of those being touted for success are experienced Olympians in Russia's traditionally strong sports. Other victories could come in disciplines that disappointed in Sydney.

Following a dire showing in the swimming in 2000, where Russia failed to pick up any gold medals, and in track and field where the team won a meagre three, Tyagachyov has high hopes of an improvement this year.

"Sports such as athletics and swimming have made a lot of progress since Sydney," he said. "At the world championships these two federations collected 15 gold medals."

POLE VAULT

In athletics, Russians may well win gold and silver in the women's pole vault when world record holder Yelena Isinbayev goes head-to-head with Svetlana Feofanova, the previous record holder.

Sport experts say Russia's athletics fortunes will improve considerably.

"The Sydney team was very young, and in these four years nearly all those athletes have got stronger and stronger," Olga Linde of the daily Sport Express told Reuters.

"Four years ago the United States had a really strong team, but in Athens they won't have such a strong one. That is why the chances for other athletes, in particular ours, are better."

One of the keys to Russia's success in the swimming pool is Alexander Popov, who won the 50m and 100m freestyle in 1992 and 1996.

He disappointed in Sydney, winning silver in the 100m and failing to win any medal in the 50m. But he has since regained his form, winning both events at the world championships in Barcelona in 2003.

For decades the distinctive red leotards of the USSR dominated the gymnastics competition. The success continued after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and Russia won five golds at Sydney.

But since 2000, Russia has been pushed aside by gymnasts from China, the United States and Romania -- a trend Russia wants to reverse in Athens with the help of veterans Alexei Nemov and Svetlana Khorkina.

Asymmetric bars queen Khorkina, hoping to become the first gymnast to win the same apparatus title at three consecutive Olympics, is also determined to win the all-round gold before retiring from international competition.

Nemov, who won six medals in Sydney including gold in the individual all-round and horizontal bar, will need to put a recent string of uninspiring results behind him if he is to do well in Athens.

SMALLER BUDGET

Russia's other medals are likely to come from boxing, judo, synchronised swimming and wrestling, although with a 480-strong team there are contenders in most sports.

"We have a chance of winning medals in practically every sport that our athletes are competing in," Linde said.

Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper estimated Russia would win more than 30 golds and at least 30 each of silver and bronze.

Russia manages to compete with and outdo nations whose budgets are much bigger than its own.

Under communism, the state lavished money on sport which it saw as a showcase to the outside world demonstrating the good side of the Soviet Union. But funds dried up once the system collapsed.

Sports complexes fell into disrepair and the best athletes emigrated to countries with better facilities and more cash.

A drive by President Vladimir Putin to invest money in sport has improved the situation, but there is a long way to go.

"The budget is still not enough," Tyagachyov said.

He said Russia's Olympic budget, at around $100 million, was much smaller than its two main competitors, China and the United States.

But the rewards it hands out to its medallists will be higher than in many other countries.

Gold medallists will receive $50,000, silver medallists will get $20,000 and bronze medallists will be given $10,000.

(Additional reporting by Robert Eksuzyan)