MOSCOW, June 27 (R-Sport) – Russia's Sports Ministry announced ambitious targets to return the country to the Olympic elite Thursday, starting with a top-three medal table finish at its home Winter Olympics in Sochi next year.
In a five-year plan reminiscent of the Soviet sporting machine, the ministry also demands the same result at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
That means big improvements – Russia was 11th at the last Winter Olympics in Vancouver three years ago and fifth at London 2012.
The target is more demanding than aims previously set by Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who has said third place in Sochi would be outstanding, while Russian Olympic Committee head Alexander Zhukov is targeting a top-five result.
