Team ROC has all chances to enter top three at Tokyo Olympics, deputy PM says

MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko wished Russian athletes success at the Tokyo Olympic Games, voicing confidence that Team ROC (Russian Olympic Committee) is capable of entering the top three. The opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympic Games is underway in the Japanese capital. The Russian flagbearers are Olympic champions, saber fencer Sofya Velikaya and volleyball player Maksim Mikhaylov. "Despite the challenges we had to go through during the preparations for the Games, we believe in our athletes and expect high performances. The team brings together our strongest athletes, who have been recognized as the best at the world’s competitions many times," Chernyshenko said. Among them is five-time Olympic champion in synchronized swimming Svetlana Romashina, Olympic champion and four-time world champion, freestyle wrestler Abdulrashid Sadulaev, five-time Olympic champion and two-time world champion, artistic gymnast Denis Ablyazin and also dozens of other worthy athletes. "Our team has all chances after these Olympic Games to enter top three of the team leaderboard," Chernyshenko stressed. The deputy prime minister noted that fans hope the Russians will win medals in the country’s traditional sports such as synchronized swimming, wrestling, fencing and artistic gymnastics. "These are sisters Dina and Arina Averina, Anastasia Bliznyuk. I wish each athlete success, don’t mistrust your powers, we support you," he said. The 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Japan’s capital of Tokyo are held this year between July 23 and August 8. In March 2020, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to postpone the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games in Japan for one year due to the spread of COVID-19. Russian athletes are competing in Tokyo under the flag and logo of the Russian National Olympic Committee (ROC) instead of the national flag and state emblem. The national anthem of Russia is also barred from use at the Olympics in Japan. Team ROC consists of 335 athletes, including 185 women and 150 men. Read more