MOSCOW, Aug. 14 (Xinhua) -- Russian athletes returning from the London Olympics will be honored on the highest level in the Kremlin, Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said Tuesday.
"I signed an order to award you with high state awards. The President invites all of you for a social function on August 15. You will be awarded at the reception," Mutko said in a statement published on the Ministry's website.
According to the ministry, total awards could reach 300 million rubles (9.45 million U.S. dollars) for the athletes. Gold winners will get a prize of 4 million rubles (126, 000 dollars), silver 2.5 million rubles (78, 700 dollars), bronze 1.7 million rubles (53, 500 dollars).
Among the awards, cars will be given to the medal winners on the Red Square near the Kremlin, the Minister said.
Russian team ranked fourth in the London games which concluded on Sunday with 24 gold, 25 silver and 33 bronze medals. Though Russia didn't enter the top three place, Mutko called the results "brilliant".
"Our performance is better than in the Beijing Olympics. It is brilliant. Not every country is capable for that," the minister said.
During the Beijing games, Russia reached top three behind China and the United States with 72 medals, including 23 gold medals.
"The system works, nothing needs to be amended, nothing needs to be invented," Mutko said, adding that Russia has got a "nearly unlimited" potential in Summer Olympics sports.
He vowed that at 2016 Olympics due in Brazil, Russia would make one more step forward in several sports like track cycling, rowing, swimming, shooting.
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