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Ukraine hopes to get medals in biathlon, freestyle at Sochi Olympic Games

For the first time ever Ukrainian team will compete in bobsleigh

© ITAR-TASS/Vareliy Sharifulin

KIEV, January 09. /ITAR-TASS/. Ukraine will be represented in eleven of the fifteen winter Olympic sports at the 22nd Winter Olympic Games in Sochi and the Ukrainian delegation will consist 45 athletes, Minister of Sports and Youth Politics Ravil Safiullin said Thursday.

“We are not taking part in ice hockey, curling, speed skating, and skeleton,” he said.

For the first time ever, the Ukrainians will compete in bobsleigh.

“Biathlon and freestyle are the sports we hope to get at least some medals in,” Safiullin said. “As for other sports, our hopes /for medals/ are very slim there.”

He said the Ukrainian government had spent some $ 13.6 million for training the Olympic athletes.

Safiullin also specified the size of remunerations the athletes will be entitled to for winning medals at the Winter Games. The first place will earn $125,000 for its winner, the second place -- $80,000, and the third one -- $55,000.

Along with it, Ukraine hopes to get a traditionally high command ranking at the Paralympic Games. Financial remunerations will also be paid to athletes competing in three of the five sports and the size of the monies to be paid out varies from $50,000 to $100,000.

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