29.05 Putin to Unveil Sochi Olympic Medals Thursday

MOSCOW, May 29 (R-Sport) - Russian President Vladimir Putin will unveil the medals for next years Winter Olympics on Thursday in St. Petersburg, the Kremlin said Wednesday.

Putin will meet members of the International Olympic Committee during the ongoing SportAccord conference in his home city.

Putin will be presented with the Olympic and Paralympic medals, with which the medalists will be honored at the 22nd Olympic Winter Games and the 11th Paralympic Winter Games in Sochi in 2014, the Kremlin media service said in a statement.

The Olympics are Putin's pet project; the president has been named "the captain of the team" by chief organizer Dmitry Chernyshenko.

Russias first Winter Olympics will be held from February 7 to 23 next year in the southern city of Sochi.