Sochi Paralympics Day 7: Russians' medals haul now 64, with 25 gold

The Russian team turned out a strong performance on the seventh day of the Sochi Paralympics, winning seven gold medals, three silver and four bronze. The gold medals included Men’s Alpine Skiing in Super Combined and Standing Visually Impaired.

All in all, the Russian athletes grabbed 14 medals during the day.

Gold medals were won by biathletes Yulia Budaleeva (12.5-km race, visually impaired), Svetlana Konovalova (12.5-km race, sitting), Nikolay Polukhin (15-km race, visually impaired) and Roman Petushkov (15-km race, sitting).

Petushkov is the hero of this Paralympics, winning a record-breaking five golden medals in Sochi. His wife and mother watch his victories on TV, and he in fact saw all the first gold, in the 7,5-km race, before the Paralympics – in his dream, as Championat.com website reported.

“I come back home, and there are my closest ones, congratulating me on my victory!” he said.

Also, Aleksandra Frantseva won her fourth medal – and second gold – in the Super Combined, visually impaired.

In the men’s Super Combined, visually impaired, Valery Redkozubov won gold, his second in Sochi. In the Super Combined, standing, 16-year-old Aleksey Bugaev won his fourth medal and second gold.

Silver was snagged by biathletes Mikhalina Lysova (12.5-km race, visually impaired), Alena Kaufman (12.5-km race, standing) and Grigory Murygin (15-km race, sitting).

Biathletes Natalya Bratyuk (12.5-km race, standing), Stanislav Chokhlaev (15-km race, visually impaired), Aleksander Davidovich (15-km race, sitting) and Kirill Mikhailov (15-km race, standing) won bronze medals.

Heading into the weekend, Russia continues to hold the lead in the overall medals count with 64 medals, including 25 golds. Ukraine is in second spot with 20 medals. The US is third with 16 medals, ahead of Germany and Canada, each with 11 medals.