Universiade Flame lit in Capital City of Russia

MOSCOW – The main symbol of the 2013 Summer Universiade travelled hundreds of thousands of kilometres, visited 5 continents of the globe, left behind dozens of cities of the world and finally arrived in the capital of the host country of the 27th Summer Universiade – Moscow. On 3 June, 40 Torchbearers, including the best students of the city, Kazan 2013 Ambassadors, Olympic champions, winners in Paralympic Games, volunteers as well as representatives of the Kazan 2013 SU’s corporate partners, carried the Universiade Flame along the streets and squares of Russia’s capital and finally ignited the City Cauldron in Moscow.

The capital city of Russia has become the 17th city which welcomed the 2013 Summer Universiade Flame on its land. The Universiade Flame had arrived in Moscow from Vladimir the day before.

MSU Rector Viktor Sadovnichy with the Universiade Flame

The starting point of the Torch Relay route in Moscow, the heart of Russia, was the main university of the country – the Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU), and this is where the lighting of the first Torch took place. 40 Torchbearers carried the main symbol of the upcoming Summer Universiade along Universitetskaya Square, Vernadsky Prospekt, Frunzenskaya Embankment and finished the run at the Luzhniki Stadium’s Walk of Fame. It is worth mentioning that the Moscow leg of the Torch Relay was one of the longest; it totalled 8,080 metres.

The honour of acting as a Torchbearer in the Torch Relay in Moscow was bestowed upon the city’s top university students and prominent athletes including two-time Olympic champion and world track and field champion Svetlana Masterkova; five-time Olympic champion, thirteen-time world champion and seven-time European synchronised swimming champion Anastasia Davydova; Olympic gymnastics champion and Master of Sport Aliya Mustafina; multiple world and European champion and Master of Sport in Rhythmic Gymnastics Olga Kapranova; Master of Sport in Judo and Sambo and bronze medallist at the 28th Olympic Games in Athens Dmitry Nosov; two-time Olympic champion and multiple world pentathlon champion Anatoly Starostin; Olympic champion, Master of Sport of the USSR and Merited Coach of Russia Lyudmila Kondratyeva; Olympic speed skating champion and 1st Deputy Head of the Department of Physical Culture and Sport of the city of Moscow Nikolay Gulyaev; Merited Master of Sport, Olympic champion, 2007 European champion and Russian national rowing team member Alexey Svirin, two-time Olympic champion, world and European fencing champion Karina Aznavuryan; Russian football player, goalkeeper and former Russian national football team member Ruslan Nigmatullin; and other famous athletes, Moscow’s best students, volunteers and representatives of the 2013 Summer Universiade’s partner companies.

“The impressions of the Torch Relay are most vivid and unforgettable. I enjoyed carrying the Torch, and it will take my warmth and luck to Kazan. I am even envious of myself!” shared her impressions Svetlana Masterkova. “I wish the best of luck at the Universiade to those – most talented, most sporty – who will be presenting our country at the Universiade!”

Among the Torchbearers of the Moscow Torch Relay were also Kazan 2013 Ambassadors – such as well-known TV host Yana Churikova; popular singer Yulia Kovalchuk; news anchor Maksim Sharafutdinov; two-time Olympic artistic gymnastics champion Elena Zamolodchikova; as well as seven-time Russian aerobic gymnastics champion, World University Games medallist Alexander Kondratichev.

“It is such a shame that when I was a student there was no Universiade, otherwise I would have definitely taken part in it. If not an athlete, I would have been a volunteer, that’s for sure!” says Kazan 2013 Ambassador Yana Churikova. “I am pleased to be part of this large-scale event, and I really want to go to Kazan in July. I think that we are all going to really enjoy the Universiade in Kazan!”

The culmination of the Torch Relay in Moscow was the lighting of the City Cauldron, which took place at the Luzhniki Stadium’s Walk of Fame. In the presence of the distinguished guests, including Deputy Minister of Sport of the Russian Federation Yuri Nagornykh; Deputy Head of the Moscow Department of Physical Education and Sports Alexey Pyzhov; Minister of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan Rafis Burganov; FISU 1st Vice-President and President of the Russian Students Sports Union (RSSU) Oleg Matytsin; Rector of MSU Viktor Sadovnichy; Head of the Department for Health Care, Sport and Formation of Healthy Lifestyle of the Republic of Tatarstan Cabinet Office Andrey Kondratyev; Plenipotentiary Representative of the Republic of Tatarstan to the Russian Federation Ravil Akhmetshin; as well as Deputy Director General of the Executive Directorate of the 27th Summer Universiade 2013 in Kazan, Executive Director of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies Igor Sivov.

“Today is an important day as the Flame of the Summer Universiade has arrived in our city. It is very symbolic that the Torch Relay started in front of our main university – the Lomonosov Moscow State University – and it finishes here, at our main Olympic venue – Luzhniki,” noted Yuri Nagornykh. “We are moving forward: our country is developing, our sport is developing, and the fact that the enormous efforts of the thousands of people who are preparing for the Universiade will very shortly result in a grand worldwide celebration of university sports in Kazan is a great accomplishment of the whole of Russia and of each of us individually.”

“I would like to express hope that Russian athletes will perform at their best at the Universiade in Kazan. The World University Games in Kazan, by all means, will give an impetus to the development of sports among young people in our country,” emphasised Alexey Pyzhov.

Rafis Burganov thanked the people of Moscow for welcoming warmly the Torch Relay. “We are very pleased that, very soon, the Universiade Cauldron will be lit at the Opening Ceremony of the World University Games. I would like to wish our national team the top place on the medal table of the Universiade in Kazan!”

“I am sure that Kazan has become a driving force behind the growth of university sports in our country, and it has set an example for the whole world of how a country should love its young people and how it should ensure their future. I am sure that the Universiade in Kazan will demonstrate to the whole world that Russia is a sports power!” emphasised Oleg Matytsin.

FISU 1st Vice-President Oleg Matytsin poses with the Torch

In conclusion, Rafis Burganov presented replicas of the 2013 Summer Universiade torch to Deputy Head of the Moscow Department of Physical Education and Sports Alexey Pyzhov and to MSU Rector Viktor Sadovnichy.

“We have a celebration today, and the celebration is symbolic: Moscow has two most beautiful places – Sparrow Hills and Luzhniki. The Torch Relay started off from the main building of Moscow State University, and now it is finishing in Luzhniki,” noted Viktor Sadovnichy. “It is the symbol of our country’s power. The Universiade is, by definition, about students and universities, and we are very pleased that, this year, our country’s powerful team will be taking part in the Universiade. I am sure that, in 33 days, we will know the names of the students of Russian universities who will be winners and runners-up in the Universiade. Best of luck to you!”

The main symbol of the World University Games was transferred for safeguarding to the Lomonosov Moscow State University.

The next city on the Torch Relay route is Perm.

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)