RUS - Svet aims for ‘best medal you can get’

EKATERINBURG (Olympics) - Svetlana Abrosimova has a very good idea of what it's going to be like next year when she walks into the Olympic stadium for the Opening Ceremony at the London Games.

The Russia veteran has done this twice before, as a 20-year-old at Sydney in 2000 and then eight years later in Beijing.

It is a high that many of the world’s greatest sportsmen and sportswomen will never experience.

What Abrosimova has yet to know, however, is the feeling of climbing to the top of the podium at an Olympics.

She has celebrated European titles, in 2007 and 2011, but not an Olympic win.

"Overall, the best medal you can get is the Olympic gold medal and I haven't got it yet," she said to FIBA.com.

"I've been playing in the national team since I was 17.

"It's the last time, probably."

Abrosimova, 31, is known the world over in basketball.

After launching her national team career at the EuroBasket Women in 1997, she played American college basketball at the University of Connecticut for current Team USA coach Geno Auriemma.

The St Petersburg native has competed for the biggest and best clubs in the WNBA and Russia.

Her most recent title in the United States came with the Seattle Storm, shortly before the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic.

Right now, she is plying her trade with UMMC Ekaterinburg in Russia's top flight, and the EuroLeague Women, rubbing shoulders with the world's best players on a daily basis, either as teammates or as opponents.

All of Russia's national team players are with leading clubs.

"I feel like we have a great mix of players right now," she said.

"There are young players who have been gaining experience and becoming very good, and older ones."

By winning the EuroBasket Women this year in Poland, Russia booked their trip to London and avoided the task that now awaits Turkey, France, Czech Republic and Croatia.

The four European sides will go after five spots in the 12-team FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Women to be staged in Istanbul.

"This is the opportunity," Abrosimova said, "knowing that we have made it and don't have to do the qualifying tournament, I think that is better for us, too, because you can rest a little more and you don't have stress too early."

Russia will compete in the Preliminary Round and then hope to advance to the Quarter-Finals.

"The Olympics, it's only one game at a time - final eight, final four... It's a good set-up for us," she said.

FIBA