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Winter Universiade Concludes in Zakopane
With the lowering of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) flag and extinguishing of the flame, the 20th Winter Universiade concluded here in Zakopane, Southern Poland on Saturday.
Jerzy Buzek, the Prime Minister of the Polish Republic, and FISU president George E. Killian made speeches in the closing ceremony before Killian received the FISU flag from Zakopane mayor Adam Bachleda-Curus and gave it to Sergio Dressi, vice-president of the Tarvisio 2003 Winter Universiade organizing committee.
More than 1,000 students from 40 countries and regions, aged between 17 and 28, took part in the second Polish Winter Universiade, which opened on February 7.
After competitions in nine winter sports, namely Alpine skiing, cross country, ski jumping, Nordic combined, figure skating, short-track speed skating, ice hockey, biathlon and snowboard, Russia topped the medal table with 14 golds, nine silvers and eight bronzes.
South Korea, who collected eight out of the 10 short-track titles on offer, placed second and the hosts Poland had their best ever Universiade finish, taking third place with only one silver behind South Korea.
China, who sent 21 skiers and skaters to the games, got three silvers and five bronzes from short-track and figure skating for a 13th-place finish.
Several hours before the closing ceremony, home skier Thomasz Sikora won his third biathlon gold medal in the 12.5-kilometer pursuit.
The Polish, winner of Tuesday's 20-kilometer and Thursday's 10-kilometer sprint, clocked a winning time of 31 minutes and 18.6 seconds with three misses in shooting. Austrian Guenther Beck and Pavol Hurajt of Slovakia was second and third respectively.
The women's 10-kilometer pursuit went to Irina Malguina of Russia, who took the women's 7.5-kilometer sprint on Thursday, and China's Sun Ribo came in fifth, featuring the best Chinese biathlon finish at the games.
In the final Alpine skiing event of the games, Slovenian Andrej Sporn staged a perfect performance, taking first place in both
runs. He was happy to see his friend and teammate Bernard Vajdic take the bronze behind Austrian Martin Kroisletner.
Bernard also won the Alpine combined with 315 points.
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