Huge Cheers greet Universiade Torch Relay as it passes through Nizhny Novgorod

NIZHNY NOVGOROD – On 8 June the Universiade Flame received a really warm welcome in Nizhny Novgorod. The residents of the city were creative in the way they welcomed the Flame: after a symbolic ‘Switch on Hospitality’ button was pressed, the passengers of the Universiade Torch Relay branded train were offered a breathtaking performance with dances, songs, capoeira and even a fire show.

Nizhny Novgorod has become the 21st city of the Universiade Torch Relay’s route across Russia. 47 Torchbearers ran a 6,000-metre distance along the streets and squares of the city on the Volga – via Minin and Pozharsky Square, the city waterfront, the square facing the Hero Boat Monument as well as the city’s main tourist attraction – the Nizhny Novgorod Kremlin. The Torch Relay’s route also passed through Nizhny Novgorod State Technical University named after R.E. Alekseev (NSTU) whose students met the Universiade Flame with paper planes.

The Relay Torchbearers in Nizhny Novgorod were the best students of the city, famous athletes, volunteers, and representatives of youth organisations as well as the 2013 Summer Universiade’s partner companies. The privilege of lighting the City Cauldron was given to the two-time Olympic rhythmic gymnastics champion, Kazan 2013 Ambassador in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast Elena Posevina.

“This feeling is just unforgettable! You feel as if you got through to the final game and won it! I have never felt anything like this in my whole life. These feelings can probably only match the emotions which overwhelm you at the Olympic Games,” shared his impressions Torchbearer Andrey Kuvaev.

The solemn ceremony of lighting the City Cauldron was attended by Minister of Sports and Youth Policy of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast Viktor Kharitonov, Minister of Health Care of the Republic of Tatarstan Airat Farrakhov, Rector of the Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod Evgeny Chuprunov, and Director of the Department of Cultural and Social Programmes of the Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate Arkady Karbaev.

“The symbol of the Universiade came to our city today. For students, it is a big celebration that brings about peace, friendship, understanding and hope. I congratulate all of you on this event, and I wish every success to our national team at the World University Games!” emphasised Evgeny Chuprunov.

“Nizhny Novgorod has joined today the list of the cities which have hosted the Universiade Torch Relay. Only 28 days are left until the Opening Ceremony of the Games. I would like to express my gratitude to the Government of the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast for the warm welcome and excellent staging of the Torch Relay in Nizhny Novgorod,” noted Arkady Karbaev.

“We are very pleased to be in one of the largest cities on the Volga today. Nizhny Novgorod is home to wonderful students and great athletes; and you have excellent universities here,” noted Airat Farrakhov. “Nizhny Novgorod and Kazan are linked by enormous invisible strings. In just 28 days, the Universiade kicks off in Kazan, and I want this celebration to instil in everyone hope for victory – victory in life, in sport and in any endeavour.”

At the end of the ceremony, Airat Farrakhov and Arkady Karbayev handed souvenir torches to the leaders of Nizhny Novgorod.

The Universiade Torch Relay continues through its Russian leg: next stop is the capital city of the Mari El Republic – Yoshkar-Ola.

(Source: Kazan 2013 Media Dept.)