Russia has moved to the top of the World University Games medals table as Russian gymnasts and track athletes picked up nine gold medals in dominating the fourth day of full competition in Daegu, South Korea.
The United States, which won five consecutive University Games until placing second to China at Beijing in 2001, won its first gold medals in swimming and taekwondo. Swimmer Demerae Christianson of Auburn University secured the first gold for the Americans, winning the women's 100 meters butterfly in 1:00.42. She barely touched the wall ahead of Australian Katherine Corkran and Russian Irina Bespalova.
The United States got a rare win in taekwondo. Daniel Elkowitz beat Dolas Kadir of Turkey in the men's finweight (54 kilo) division.
Russian gymnast Irina Chashchina picked up three out of four individual rhythmic gymnastic apparatus titles. She captured four gold medals in total, as she was on the Russian team that took top honors in the group competition that featured ribbon, hoop and ball events.
Among other Russian medals, Stepan Yudin headed a Russian sweep in the men's 20-kilometer walk, while Tatiana Sibileva was more than a minute ahead of China's Jian Xingli in the women's event.