23 June 2013
The Universiade Flame arrived in Elabuga

The main symbol of the World Student Games is proceeding with its procession all over the Republic of Tatarstan. Today, on the 23rd of June the Universiade flame was met by Agryz, Mendeleyevsk and Elabuga citizens.

The Torch Relay of the XXVII World Summer Universiade started on the square of KFU branch in Elabuga. 31 torchbearers carried this symbol of peace, friendship and student solidarity in Elabuga. Those were sportsmen, sport veterans and town authorities. Each of them had to run 160 to 280 metres, with the total relay length making 6600 m.

The student of the Faculty of Physical Training of KFU branch in Elabuga, Sergey Shumikhin, gave rise to the Torch Relay. He is a Master of sports of Russia, All-Russian cup winner and winner of the World Championship in kickboxing. As Sergey confessed, on that day he was no less nervous than at the World Championship.

The Torch route was organised so as to pass through many memorial places of the town: a monument to merchant Dmitriy Stakheyev, Marina Tsvetayeva’s memorial complex, a monument to cavalry female soldier Nadezhda Durova, Memory square, old merchant streets etc. On the Torch’s way citizens and guests of Elabuga greeted torchbearers with stormy applause and camera flashes. There were a lot of school-leavers among them, as their school-leaving party coincided with today’s event.

One more representative of KFU branch in Elabuga carried the torch with the Universiade Flame during one of the stages. Our student, a Candidate Master of Sports of Russia, silver medalist of the World Championship 2012, two-times champion of Russia in track and field, Ms. Anastasiya Kulikova, became the 21st torchbearer.

And three days ago in Bugulma an honourable right to light the town cup was conferred to the champion of the World Championship in powerlifting, a student of KFU branch in Elabuga, Ms. Anna Filimonova. “The torch is very heavy – it weighs 1,5 kg. It was scaring to carry it”, confessed Anna. “But as far as I was conferred such an honour I tried not to let anyone down and carried the torch with dignity all over the stadium, where I was greeted by hundreds of Bugulma citizens, and together with the Mayor we lighted the cup”.

However, a lot of our students took part in the Torch Relay – they were involved as volunteers and accompanied the Torch in each Relay leg.

The Torch finished its way on the Central stadium. Here the town fire cup of the Universiade was lit. To commemorate this historical event the town was presented with a symbolic torch, and the festive event proceeded here with the Youth Day celebration.

Tomorrow the Universiade Torch will be received in Zainsk and Nizhnekamsk.

Source of information: Lyudmila Gubyanova, Press-center of KFU branch in Elabuga
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