MOSCOW, October 15 (R-Sport) – Host nation Russia may have its sights trained on the upper rungs of the Sochi Olympic medal table, but it is not setting any explicit targets in one of its least traditional winter pastimes – Alpine skiing.
Ten sets of medals are on offer to Alpine skiing competitors, with a further ten in freestyle and ten more in snowboarding – events a world away from Russia's competitive areas of biathlon, cross-country skiing, bobsledding or hockey.
This has prompted the head of Russia's Alpine skiing federation to try to dampen home expectations of success in disciplines that are likely to be dominated by the Austrians, Swiss, Germans, Americans and Canadians.
"I don't make plans of any kind," said Svetlana Gladysheva when asked how many medals she expected the Russians would win.
"I really believe in our athletes and I think we respect each other. We are aiming for the medals we have targeted. Of course, I'd love our federation to have some gold from the Games, but I don't know who this will be or in which discipline," she added.
"I have my medal plan in my heart, but I won't reveal it."
Gladysheva said she would await the first results of the season before picking a team by December.
The Sochi Olympics run February 7-23.
