Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism of the Russian Federation Vitaly Mutko runs the 2,013 m for Kazan 2013
MOSCOW – As part of the 2011 Cross of Nations, a race dedicated to the 27th Summer Universiade was held in Moscow, where the FISU Flag was specially delivered the previous day.
The FISU Flag which continues its relay across Russia was solemnly presented during the opening ceremony for 2011 All-Russian Day of Running. In his welcome speech to the audience, Minister of Youth, Sports and Tourism of the Russian Federation Vitaly Mutko stated that the grand running festival brought together nearly one million people and urged students to live a healthy life and do sports. He also mentioned that he was going to set a personal example and run 2013 metres dedicated to the 2013 Summer Universiade in Kazan.
Oleg Matytsin, 1st Vice President of FISU, stressed the symbolism of staging the FISU Flag presentation on All-Russian Day of Running, since the major mission of the flag was to bring together Russian and international student-athletes.
During the solemn FISU Flag presentation ceremony, a Kazan 2013 Ambassador title was bestowed upon Elena Zamolodchikova, an outstanding Russian athlete and two-time Olympic artistic gymnastics champion. In her sports career, Elena performed three times at the Universiade, and at the Games in Shenzhen she acted as a referee. The renowned athlete said that staging of the Unversiade in Russia was a great success for all students of Russia. «And I was very pleased when I found out that the Kazan 2013 organizers see me as their ambassador», she said. Margarita Lomakova, a student of the Russian State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism and cycling champ at the Universiade in Shenzhen, became another Kazan 2013 Ambassador.
The Kazan 2013 race that kicked-off right after the FISU Flag presentation, saw the participation of Vitaly Mutko, Oleg Matytsin and over 10,000 students of Moscow higher education institutions, including Moscow State University, Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and Moscow Aviation Institute.
After the race, Yuly Mitkevich-Daletsky, one of the runners, explained why he got involved in the event: «It’s a great honor for me to run the Kazan 2013 race. I’m captain of the athletics team of the Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia and I sure know that the Universiade is the most important sporting event for students in the world. I plan to compete at the Universiade in Kazan and I’m going to take a Master’s degree for that.»
«The FISU Flag was already relayed through 13 cities of the Volga Federal District and today it arrived in Moscow,» Igor Sivov, Deputy Director General of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate, said in his post-event comment. «But the FISU Flag Relay is not limited to the presentation at the Cross of Nations only. On September 29th it will return to Moscow where it will be displayed to the students of Moscow State University. And now the flag will travel to St Peresburg where it will be introduced to students of the cultural capital of Russia at Fresher’s Day celebrations.»
(Source: Media Department of Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate)
Igor Sivov & Oleg Matytsin
Elena Zamolodchikova & Margarita Lomakova, 2 new Ambassadors for Kazan 2013
