Former FISU Student-Athletes medal at Sochi Winter Olympics

 Martina Sablikova (CZE) – 2013 WU

LAUSANNE – As it has become a tradition, after each Olympic Games, FISU is always curious how former student-athletes of its sporting events are performing on top of their game at the pinnacle event of their sport.

Making a quick cross reference between the participants of these Winter Olympics and the most recent FISU Winter Universiades, we can confidently say that once again quite a number of former student-athletes turned into genuine Olympians who came into action at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.

We know of more than 200 former student-athletes who competed at a Winter Universiade to be Olympians. However, this list is far from complete since not all member associations sent us an overview with their participating athletes.

Nevertheless, it is very reassuring to learn that no less than 32 former FISU student-athletes climbed the Olympic medal podium inSochiin a wide array of sports. An overview can be found in the table below.

Darya Domracheva (BLR) – 2007 WU

Interesting to know as well, is the fact that some of former student-athletes performed an important role as official or coach at the Sochi Games. The most successful might be Erkka Westerlund, Head Coach of the Finnish ice hockey team, who guided his men to a bronze medal. Westerlund himself being a former ice hockey player and 1981 Winter Universiade medallist.

A point of interest also is the fact that 7 flag bearers of the Sochi Opening Ceremony were former Universiade participants, i.e. Bernadett Heidum (HUN/2011 & 2013 WU medallist short track); Milenko Petrovic (SRB/ 2013 WU medallist biathlon & cross country); Sung Ching-yang (TPE/ 2013 WU medallist speed skating); Lee Kyou-hyuk (KOR/ 1997 WU medallist speed skating, at his 6^th Olympics); Alper Ucar (TUR/ 2011 WU medallist figure skating) and Hanna Mariën (BEL/2007 SU medallist athletics). The latter, a former Belgian athletics star is the first Belgian woman to participate in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. Already a Summer Olympics medallist, she ended 6^th in the women’s 2 bobsleigh inSochi. Another former student-athlete and Summer (softball) and multiple Winter Olympics (ice hockey) participant flag bearer was Haley Wickenheiser. Although never a WU participant, the multi-Olympic champion and medallist played a dynamic role in CIS and is an iconic Canadian ice hockey player.

Justyna Kowalczyk (POL) – 2005 WU

Below an overview of the former FISU athletes who medalled inSochi.

C. Pierre, Press Officer