Will the Russian national football team reach the quarterfinals of Euro 2020?
The performance of the national team at the home world championships forever entered the history of Russian football. On the mundial, the wards of Stanislav Cherchesov managed to get to the quarterfinals. Now the team is expected to at least repeat this achievement at Euro 2020, especially since it will hold two of the three group stage matches in St. Petersburg.
Russia was lucky with a toss, because, in addition to Belgium, one of the hostesses of the European Championship got Denmark and Finland as rivals, despite the fact that in the place of Suomi there could be strong Wales with Gareth Bale in the squad.
Domestic footballers regularly unsuccessfully performed at major tournaments when they seemed to receive feasible opponents. But I want to believe that with Cherchesov at the head the team will not allow itself to give up the slack and will again please the fans.
Will Dziuba become the top scorer of the national team in history?
With particular interest, Russian football fans will follow Artyom Dziuba's performances, because the captain of the team is doing everything to become the top scorer in its history. At the moment, the Zenit striker has 24 goals: he is second only to Vladimir Beschastnykh (26) and Alexander Kerzhakov (30).
If you look at the performance of Artyom last year (nine goals in the national team), it is easy to believe that he will overcome the record line already in 2020. On the one hand, Russia is unlikely to have such a number of “dwarf" teams in its rivals. On the other hand, knowing how Dziuba tunes in to major tournaments, you can be sure that he will say his weighty word to the Euro.
Will Russian skaters continue to dominate?
In 2019, domestic skaters did not have equal in the world. They won all the major tournaments, including all stages and the Grand Prix finals. For the first time in the history of figure skating, this happened with representatives of one country. In 2020, the invincible wards of Eteri Tutberidze will try to repeat their success.
The level taken by them suggests that no one will be able to compete with the Russians again. In 2020, European and world championships await them. At the same time, the current winner of the continental championship is Sofia Samodurova, and the championship of the planet is Alina Zagitova, who suspended her career.
No less curious is which of the very young skaters Tutberidze will be able to go on the forefront, because her wards are rapidly replacing each other. The same Zagitova recently won the Olympic Games, and after a year and a half she decided to pause her career, unable to withstand the competition. At the moment, at the forefront of figure skating are Alyona Kostornaya, Alexandra Trusova and Anna Shcherbakova.
Will Zagitov's career resume?
No less interesting is whether Zagitova herself will return to the ice. Olympic champion Pyeongchang at the end of the year announced her desire to relax, but did not say when she would resume her career and whether she was going to do it.
On the one hand, Alina is only 17 years old, but the competition in modern female figure skating is too great. Unfortunately, the grown up Zagitova recently physically could not compete on equal terms with younger rivals.
A significant example of other Olympic champions and pupils of Tutberidze - Julia Lipnitskaya and Adeline Sotnikova, who also suspended their careers, but did not return fully to figure skating.
- RIA News
Will Russia fall into the top three medal standings of the Olympic Games?
To make such forecasts six months before the Olympic Games in Tokyo is quite difficult, especially since much will depend on the final decision of WADA and the IOC for the Russian team. After all, it is possible that some athletes simply will not be invited to the Olympic Games without explanation, as happened in Pyeongchang.
But if most of the strongest athletes are still able to come to Tokyo, then the Russian team may well impose a fight between China and the UK in the competition for second or third places in the medal standings.
Most likely, the USA team will not be equal again, because at the Olympic Games 2016, the Americans won 46 gold awards. The British had 27 medals of the highest standard, the Chinese - 26, the Russians - 19.
Given Russia's serious progress in medal-intensive wrestling, fencing and gymnastics, the country can count on even 25 gold medals, although it’s hard to say how things will turn out in Tokyo. In addition, the strongest domestic track and field athletes, who almost completely failed to perform in Brazil, can admit to the Olympics.
What kind of sport will be the richest for Russia in the Olympic medal?
Traditionally, the greatest number of country awards at the Olympics is brought by wrestlers and rhythmic gymnasts. Representatives of these species have won 17 awards at previous Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Successfully performed in Brazil and fencers, who added seven medals to the national team piggy bank. Repeat and even improve their achievement, they are quite capable in Tokyo. At the pre-Olympic World Cup, they won the medal standings. Moreover, the girls for the first time in 18 years reached the finals in all team forms.
An incredible result on the eve of the Olympic Games at the World Cup in Nur Sultan was achieved by Russian wrestlers who broke the world championship record in the number of awards won by representatives of one country - 19. In particular, very serious progress was made by women who took only two in Rio de Janeiro silver. So in Tokyo, representatives of this species are quite capable of taking more than ten awards. Therefore, we can safely assume that there will be no equal to them in Japan again.
Will Russian swimmers be able to win the first Olympic gold medal in 24 years?
In recent years, swimmers have made significant progress. Such young talents as Anton Chupkov and Evgeny Rylov appeared in the national team. And at short distances in the breaststroke one of the best in the world is still Yulia Efimova. True, her trip to Tokyo is in great doubt because of the old doping history.
But even without Efimova, Russians are able to win the first gold medal in swimming at the Olympic Games since 1996, when legends such as Alexander Popov and Denis Pankratov defended the country's honor. Now their success is ready to be repeated by the owner of the world record at a distance of 200 m breaststroke Chupkov and world champion (200 m on his back) Rylov.
Will Russians win the first Olympic volleyball Olympic medal?
In beach volleyball, domestic athletes have never in history won awards at the Olympic Games. In 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Konstantin Semenov and Vyacheslav Krasilnikov were as close as possible to this, but then they lost to the pair from Italy in the semifinals, and to the duet from the Netherlands in the match for third place.
Three years later, Krasilnikov achieved another historical result, already paired with the young Oleg Stoyanovsky. In the summer, they brought Russia the first gold medals of the World Beach Volleyball Championship. In the final, the domestic duet was stronger than the Germans Julius Tole and Clemens Wickler. It is not surprising that now it is the Russians who will be considered one of the main favorites of the Olympic tournament. And if they are lucky, Krasilnikov and Stoyanovsky may well compete for gold.
- Reuters
Will the Russian team win the World Cup in hockey with Kudashov?
Russian hockey players for a long time did not win the championship of the planet. The last time this was done in May 2014. Then the national team to the top of the podium was raised by Oleg Znarok, who replaced Zinetula Bilyaletdinov. Four years later, he led Russia to victory at the Olympic Games in Pyeongchang.
But at the World Cup since then, the Russians reached the finals only once, but three times they became bronze medalists. Kudashov, who, like Znarok, combines work in the national team and SKA, will try to return the team to the victorious rails at the world championship in Switzerland. At the same time, he entered the coaching staff of the national team in April 2018.
Will any of the Russians win the Stanley Cup?
In spring, hockey fans will be able to enjoy not only the World Cup, but also the Stanley Cup. In Russia, it is all the more interesting to follow him, because almost every year one of the domestic athletes wins the trophy. This series has been running for four years. In 2019, the Stanley Cup as part of St. Louis was taken by Ivan Barbashev and Vladimir Tarasenko. Both did this for the first time in their careers.
It is difficult to say who will win in 2020, but St. Louis intends to seriously repeat his success. And the Washington Capitals with Alexander Ovechkin, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Dmitry Orlov is quite capable of taking the trophy. And if the Stanley Cup wins the Pittsburgh Penguins, Eugene Malkin with four trophies will become the most titled Russian hockey player in NHL history.
Will Nurmagomedov win the 13th victory in the UFC?
2020 should be very rich in events for the Russians in mixed martial arts. Firstly, Khabib Nurmagomedov will hold a fight with Tony Ferguson in New York in April. In it, he can win the 13th victory in the UFC and the 29th in his career.
Although many fans still do not believe that the fight will really take place, because the fight between the Russian and the American has already been postponed four times due to various health problems of the fighters. This time nothing should prevent them from converging, especially since Ferguson is probably the only UFC lightweight champion who can create problems for the current champion.
And in the event of victory, Habib can already at the end of 2020 calmly organize a rematch with Conor McGregor. There is no doubt that this fight will cause incredible excitement in the world of sports.
Will Russia have a new champion in the UFC?
Also in the coming year, Russia may receive new champions in the UFC. It's about Zabit Magomedsharipov and Peter Yana. The chances of the latter, who won three victories in 2019 and came close to the title fight with the champion in the lightweight champion Henry Sehudo, are especially appreciated. Although the American himself, before giving a chance to a Russian, is going to fight with Jose Aldu.
Featherweight Zabit Magomedsharipov intends to fight for the lightweight title, who, like Yang, has no defeats in the UFC so far. However, the shares of a native of Dagestan somewhat reduced the controversial battle with Calvin Cattar. The Russian, although he won, but obviously did not have the most vivid duel.
- Peter Jan
- © UFCEurope
How will Russians share light heavyweight boxing championship belts?
At the end of 2019, the Russians concentrated in their hands four championship belts, three of which are light heavyweight. Dmitry Bivol holds the WBA title. And Arthur Beterbiev, beating Alexander Gvozdik, combined the WBC and IBF belts. Until recently, Sergey Kovalev owned the WBO title, but lost it to Saul Alvarez. True, the latter immediately released him.
Now the Russians have to decide the fate of this title. And it is possible that in 2020 Bivol and Beterbiev will hold a unifying battle. But first, Arthur will have to test the Chinese Meng Fanlong. Dmitry, most likely, will meet with the Mexican Gilberto Ramirez.
If there are no surprises and both domestic boxers win the next fights, then they really can converge in the ring, which will cause great interest in Russia. And to predict which of them will be the favorite is incredibly difficult.
Will Daniel Medvedev manage to reach the final of the Grand Slam tournament again?
Recently, Russian tennis players have accustomed fans to the fact that they rarely achieve serious success. However, last year Andrei Rublev, Karen Khachanov and Daniil Medvedev reached the top level. The latter was especially pleased. The 23-year-old Muscovite not only won four tournaments and climbed the top 5 of the ATP rating, but also became the first Russian in 14 years to get through to the Grand Slam tournament finals.
In the decisive confrontation of the US Open, Medvedev fought for Rafael Nadal himself. After losing the first two sets, Daniel equalized and fought in the fifth installment. As a result, the Russian still lost, but after this match the whole country found out about him. It is hoped that Medvedev is still ahead, because he is young and continues to progress rapidly. And this means that in 2020, Daniel has every chance to reach the final of the Grand Slam tournament again.
Will Loginov win the Biathlon World Cup?
In winter sports, the attention of most fans is traditionally riveted to biathlon. And this season, Alexander Loginov has certain chances to win in the overall standings of the World Cup. The undisputed favorite is the current trophy holder Johannes Boe, but he can skip all the January stages due to replenishment in the family.
In this case, Loginov will have the opportunity to challenge the Norwegian. However, it will be extremely difficult to do this, because in the overall standings of Russians and Scandinavians already share more than 100 points. On the other hand, Alexander, like the entire Russian team, traditionally felt good precisely at the January stages.
If Loginov manages to accomplish the impossible and take first place, then he will become the first from 1996 to own the Big Crystal Globe from Russia. Then the trophy was won by the current head of the RBU Vladimir Drachev.