Crowds gather in Kirov to welcome Universiade Flame

KIROV – On 7 June, the Flame of the Universiade arrived in the 20th city on the Russian leg of the Universiade Torch Relay – Kirov. Thousands of local citizens greeted the Torchbearers with enthusiasm on the streets and squares of the city. The Torch Relay ended with the lighting of the City Cauldron in Kirov’s Teatralnaya Square.

Among the 27 Torchbearers who were given the honour of carrying the Universiade Flame through the city were not only the stars of the forthcoming World University Games, but students and famous sportspeople, among whom were the Master of Sport and member of the Russian national acrobatic gymnastics team Elizaveta Dubrovina, the Master of Sport and member of the Russian junior national cross country skiing team Denis Kataev,  the Master of Sport in Speed Skating Maksim Krotov, and volunteers, representatives of youth public organisations and partner companies of the Games.

“The smile hasn’t left my face. It’s so cool!” was the impression given by Torchbearer Ekaterina Plenkina, “When I was running with the torch, my heart swelled with pride for my city, for Kazan, and for Russia: it’s so great that such a global sporting event is happening in my country!”

“It’s an indescribable sensation: you’re meeting hundreds of people, they’re greeting and applauding you, and you’re soaking up all this positive energy! I’m definitely going to the  Universiade in Kazan, so I can cheer on the Russian team!” said Torchbearer Dmitry Gryazin.

The route of the Torch Relay in Kirov ran across the Railway Workers’ Palace of Culture, where the race began, the city’s institutions of higher education – Vyatka State University of Humanities (VSUH), Vyatka  State Agricultural Academy (VSAA), Vyatka State University (VSU), Kirov State Medical Academy (KSMA), Kirov Branch of the O. E. Kutafin Moscow State Legal Academy, and came to an end in Teatralnaya Square, where the City Cauldron was ignited. In total, the course of the Relay ran to about 5,000 metres. The honour of lighting the City Cauldron went to the Kazan 2013 Ambassador and Master of Sports in Power Athletics Alisa Skopina.

Honoured guests at the ceremony of lighting the City Cauldron were First Deputy Chairman of the Government of the Kirov Oblast Dmitry Matveev, Mayor of the city of Kirov Vladimir Bykov, Minister of Labour, Employment and Social Protection of the Republic of Tatarstan Airat Shafigullin, VSUH Rector Valery Yungblyud, and Acting VSU Rector Yuri Kuvaldin.

Dmitry Matveev said: “Today is a very important and significant day for the Kirov Oblast, as for the first time in history the Torch Relay of the Universiade passed through Kirov. I believe that this is the recognition of our achievements in the field of university sports. I hope that today’s events will live on in our hearts for a long time to come. I would like to thank the organisers, the Torchbearers, athletes, volunteers for the Torch Relay, and congratulate them on this grand celebration of university sports.”

“In our region, there have been many sports events, new sports facilities have been built, and we will strive to catch up with our neighbours – the Republic of Tatarstan – in the level of university sports development. Congratulations on this celebration of sports excellence and the spirit of youth! I believe that residents of Kirov will be welcome guests at the Univesiade in Kazan!” Vladimir Bykov said.

Ayrat Shafigullin thanked local citizens on behalf of the Government and people of Tatarstan: “Many thanks to you for your smiles, your joy and your cheers. Kirov is a city of students, and we look forward to the 6th of July, and the opening of the Universiade, where students from all over the world will come together. I want you to live your life to the fullest and to be as bright and passionate as the Flame of the Universiade!” At the end of the Torch Relay in Kirov, Ayrat Shafigullin gave souvenir torches to the city’s leaders, and also to the rectors of Kirov’s universities.

The Universiade Flame will continue its journey around the country, next stop on the relay is Nizhny Novgorod.

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)