RIA Novosti’s photowire presents the most famous athletes competing for Russia on home soil during the Sochi Olympic Games.
© RIA Novosti . Ilya Pitalev / Go to the mediabankWorld biathlon star, Olympic and world champion Olga Zaitseva will be one of Russia’s main hopes at the home Olympics.
World biathlon star, Olympic and world champion Olga Zaitseva will be one of Russia’s main hopes at the home Olympics.
© RIA Novosti . Ilya Pitalev / Go to the mediabankYevgeny Ustyugov who won Olympic gold in the mass start at the 2010 Winter Games is the main star of the men’s biathlon team.
Yevgeny Ustyugov who won Olympic gold in the mass start at the 2010 Winter Games is the main star of the men’s biathlon team.
© AFP Vancouver / Go to the mediabankRussia’s leading bobsledders Alexander Zubkov and Alexei Voyevoda have reunited into a single team. Alexander and Alexei won silver at the Torino 2006 Games and bronze at Vancouver 2010, and have a chance to add another medal at the home Olympics.
Russia’s leading bobsledders Alexander Zubkov and Alexei Voyevoda have reunited into a single team. Alexander and Alexei won silver at the Torino 2006 Games and bronze at Vancouver 2010, and have a chance to add another medal at the home Olympics.
© RIA Novosti . Vitaly Belousov / Go to the mediabankAnna Sidorova is the principal star and skipper of Russia’s national women’s curling team.
Anna Sidorova is the principal star and skipper of Russia’s national women’s curling team.
© RIA Novosti . Ekaterina Tchesnokova / Go to the mediabankIvan Skobrev, world and European champion, and silver and bronze medal winner at the 2010 Winter Olympics, is the leader of the Russian Olympic speed skating team.
Ivan Skobrev, world and European champion, and silver and bronze medal winner at the 2010 Winter Olympics, is the leader of the Russian Olympic speed skating team.
© RIA Novosti . Ilya Pitalev / Go to the mediabankNikita Kryukov, another representative of the Russian national skiing team, is a mega star of Russian and world sports.
Nikita Kryukov, another representative of the Russian national skiing team, is a mega star of Russian and world sports.
© RIA Novosti . Vitaly Belousov / Go to the mediabankThe “flying skier” Dmitry Vasilyev is an athlete better known in Europe than in Russia.
The “flying skier” Dmitry Vasilyev is an athlete better known in Europe than in Russia.
© RIA Novosti . Vasily Ponomarev / Go to the mediabankSkeleton racer Alexander Tretyakov has already got an Olympic medal, winning a bronz at the Games in Vancouver.
Skeleton racer Alexander Tretyakov has already got an Olympic medal, winning a bronz at the Games in Vancouver.
© RIA Novosti . Mikhail Mokrushin / Go to the mediabankThe Sochi Olympics will be the seventh Games of Albert Demchenko’s career. Demchenko took up luging during the time of the Soviet Union. He first competed at the Olympics in 1992 as part of the CIS national team. He has competed in every Games since then without fail.
The Sochi Olympics will be the seventh Games of Albert Demchenko’s career. Demchenko took up luging during the time of the Soviet Union. He first competed at the Olympics in 1992 as part of the CIS national team. He has competed in every Games since then without fail.
© RIA Novosti . Ramil Sitdikov / Go to the mediabankTwo-time world champion Yekaterina Tudegesheva will represent Russia in the parallel slalom at the 2014 Olympic Games.
Two-time world champion Yekaterina Tudegesheva will represent Russia in the parallel slalom at the 2014 Olympic Games.
© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Baranov / Go to the mediabankYevgeny Plushenko will represent Russia in the men’s singles figure skating at the Olympic Games in Sochi.
Yevgeny Plushenko will represent Russia in the men’s singles figure skating at the Olympic Games in Sochi.
© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Pesnya / Go to the mediabankDoubles figure skaters Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov are favorites to win every competition they take part in.
Doubles figure skaters Tatyana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov are favorites to win every competition they take part in.
© RIA Novosti . Vladimir Pesnia / Go to the mediabankShort track speed skater Viktor Ahn has more titles than any other athlete in the Russian national Olympic team. He is a three-time Olympic champion and bronze winner at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
Short track speed skater Viktor Ahn has more titles than any other athlete in the Russian national Olympic team. He is a three-time Olympic champion and bronze winner at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
© RIA Novosti . Alexey Kudenko / Go to the mediabankIt is no secret that most Russian fans consider the ice hockey tournament the main event of the Olympic Games. Photo: Russian national ice hockey team left winger Ilya Kovalchuk.
It is no secret that most Russian fans consider the ice hockey tournament the main event of the Olympic Games. Photo: Russian national ice hockey team left winger Ilya Kovalchuk.
© RIA Novosti . Gregory Sokolov / Go to the mediabankPavel Datsyuk will captain the Russian hockey team at the Sochi Games.
Pavel Datsyuk will captain the Russian hockey team at the Sochi Games.
© RIA Novosti . Gregory Sokolov / Go to the mediabankYevgeny Malkin, another star forward of the Russian national team, has won world championship gold, silver and two bronze medals throughout his career.
Yevgeny Malkin, another star forward of the Russian national team, has won world championship gold, silver and two bronze medals throughout his career.