Russia sending 67 athletes to Sochi 2014 Paralympics

18.02.2014

The strongest medal hopefuls for the host nation lie in Nordic skiing and ice sledge hockey.

Mikhalina Lysova is expected to be the one to beat in the women's visually impaired cross-country skiing and biathlon events at the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games. © • Luc Percival

By IPC

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Dmitry Lisov fights for the puck against South Korea at the 2013 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool. © • IPC

Svetlana Pakohmova © • World Curling

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The host nation will participate in all five sports, as well as the new snowboard discipline, with their strongest hopes for medals coming in Nordic skiing and ice sledge hockey.

The Russian Paralympic Committee announced that they are sending 67 athletes to the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games from 7-16 March, meaning it will be the country’s largest delegation ever at a Winter Games.

The host nation will participate in all five sports, as well as the new snowboard discipline, with their strongest hopes for medals coming in Nordic skiing and ice sledge hockey.

At the 2013 IPC Nordic Skiing World Championships, Russia reigned suprereme, winning a total of 56 medals, including 22 golds. Men’s sit skier Roman Petushov and women’s visually impaired skier Mikhalina Lysova are arguably the best in the world in their disciplines, with both being the two biggest individual medal winners at the 2013 World Championships and showcasing their dominance on the 2013-14 World Cup circuit.

Lysova, guided by Alexey Ivanov, won a gold and two silvers at the Vancouver 2010 Paralympics, while Petushkov is still seeking his first Paralympic gold.

Russia’s ice sledge hockey team, led by powerful forward Dmitry Lisov, won bronze at the 2013 IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships A-Pool just four years after starting up their national programme.

The Russians also have the potential to medal in wheelchair curling with a team anchored by lead Svetlana Pakhomova. The squad has climbed up through the world rankings the last four years and won the World Championships in 2012.

In alpine skiing, three-time world champion Aleksandra Frantceva will look to star in the women’s visually impaired events and 16-year-old Alexey Bugaev will try to challenge the field in the men’s standing events.

At the Vancouver 2010 Games, a Russian team of 46 athletes finished second in the medal standings, picking up 12 gold, 16 silver and 38 bronze medals for a total of 38 medals.

The full Russian team for Sochi 2014 includes:

Alpine skiing

Aleksander Akhmadulin

Alexander Alybayev

Alexey Bugaev

Alexander Fedoruk

Aleksandra Frantceva

Ivan Frantsev

Anatasia Khorosheva

Inga Medvedeva

Mariia Papulova

Valerii Redkozubov