Vekaiyu at the Seventh Summer Olympics

Vekaiyu at the Seventh Summer Olympics
Flag of Vekaiyu County code VEK NOC Vekaiyun Olympic Council
Competitors	512 athletes in all sports
Flag bearer	Vinsent Ivere (Swimming)
Medals Rank: 3rd;	Gold 16	Silver 10	Bronze 11	Total 37
NS Olympic history
Summer Games
V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII
Winter Games
VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII

A team of 512 vulpine peoples representing Vekaiyu competed at the 7th Summer Olympics in Krytenia. These Olympics represent Vekaiyu's fifth appearance in an inter-regional Olympiad, and third appearance at a Summer Olympics. These games are heralded as Vekaiyu's emergence as a formidable swimming nation after their dominating performance totalling 11 medals. Vekaiyu placed 3rd overall with 37 medals.

Initial Predictions

Taken from a V3 News Sports Column by Rin Slakori

The Krytenian sun faded across the horizon as the Vekaiyun delegation touched down in Netherfield International Airport early this evening. The third-ever Summer Delegation from Vekaiyu arrived on schedule, sparing enough time for the athletes and their coaches, trainers, and staff to reach their accommodations and perhaps fancy the cityscape or get in some extra training in preparation for the important Olympics.

Vekaiyu did well in its second-ever Summer Games - an eighth place finish with a total of thirteen gold medals, fourteen silver, and nineteen bronze to round out what had been an impressive jump from their first year of contention. Fresh off lifted regulations for particular sports placed by then-Premier Selvala McEva, some of which included the banning of shooting competitors to 'preserve the distinction between sport and war' and restricting Vekaiyun lifters and wrestlers because such sports 'were not intended for the vulpine physique', the nation did well to shed such rigid connotations and prove that Vekaiyu was definitely ready to compete in all events.

Perhaps most shocking was their gymnastics corps. The team from Vekaiyu showed promise in the Fifth Summer Games, but it wasn't until the Sixth Summer Games that they literally became the team to beat. Leading the field with three golds, four silvers, and four bronze, the Vekaiyun team relied upon the talents of all gymnasts to become the team to beat for the Seventh Summer Games. Stapen Skilusi, with his two golds and one bronze, lead the charge and established his dominance in the sport at Cafundeu. In the Women's balance beam, Vekaiyun gymnasts dominated the field with Leina Uverilsetrese taking gold and Yva Kire nabbing the bronze. With their roster virtually the same for gymnastics this year as it was in Cafundeu, Vekaiyu is anticipating a repeat performance.

"We'll see," Stapen Skilusi said during a press conference later in the day. "We still have a lot to prove. We need to show we're consistently ready to perform and not just some flash in the pan team

Another surprise was Vekaiyu's performance in Boxing and shooting, two sports than had once been difficult to compete in for a Vekaiyun athlete. "Take that!" Isii Sileveri shouted after winning her gold medal in what was later confirmed to be a strike against the old regime. "I was psyched," she said of the incident upon arriving in Krytenia. "We're told before we leave for the destination country that we're supposed to represent Vekaiyu well from abroad. And I think I did exactly that. We're fighters. Not even our own government can tell us no!"

Vekaiyu's shooting team has changed much more than their boxing squad, which looks set to improve upon their impressive ingress in Cafundeu. "We've shuffled the boards a bit to better fit the molds of this competition," head shooting coach Mikhail Lastrevostru commented prior to leaving for the host nation. "We're confident in our abilities and believe we can strengthen our [2011 performance in Cafundeu]." Some concern was voiced over Makswel Venskegi, a bronze medalist from last year, as it was revealed lingering side effects from a minor arm injury in December could hinder his performance. The coach dismissed such claims, saying, "[Makswel] is going to be just fine. He's motivated to show just how sure a Vekaiyun shooter can be, especially when one considers the recent Occupation of Listonia."

Indeed, sentiments are abound for the recent occupation of neighboring state Listonia by Vekaiyun soldiers is on the minds of many athletes. "My brother is stationed in Cestinglavoiga," diver Ankya Suleri said. "But it's comforting to know I'm not alone in this. A lot of us have relatives and friends fighting for Listonians over there. At least I can know that while I'm fighting here, he's fighting a more important battle over there."

Diving, like Swimming, has much to prove for the Summer Games this year. In their first Summer Games, Vekaiyu finished second only to rival Kelssek in the swimming medal tally. The next year, however, they fell off the pace, falling into a tie for fifth with four medals, seven less than in 2010. "Let the analysts analyze," gold medalist Riyna McAves said. "The pressure is on our group to perform this year. We had difficulties last year in getting over the death of [Kira Niiru] and some of us dealing with the press, but this year we're one year older and ready more than ever to perform. We won the [Third] Water World Championships, let's go."

And win they did. Vekaiyun swimmers, fueled in part by the frustrations experienced at Cafundeu, took home a horde that included ten gold, ten silver, and five bronze. Clearly, they had much to prove, and they proved they could settle down and let their true talents shine through.

"We keep moving forward," young swimming phenom Ikrisia Sulevire said. Now 17 years old, many predict her to shelve the pressure of leadership and instead focus on her performance.

Vinsent Ivere, the flag bearer for the Vekaiyun Olympic team, has managed to monopolize the men's 100m freestyle event for the past two years, including setting an Olympic Record last year. "I tell you, brother, we're more focused this year than last," the imposing 6'4 swimmer from Sinliesla said to reporters. "We have fight, talent, and charisma. We can also swim well, too."

Frankyo Busirvi, among the newest member of the Vekaiyun swimming elite, is especially pumped for their performance. "We're just so much stronger this year than last year," he added. When asked if he will celebrate a medal with a beer, the young athlete responded, "that's a clown question, bro."

Wrestling and martial arts look to be very strong for Vekaiyu this year, too. "I took gold last year," Keslo Nikeri reminded V3 News Services, "and I don't plan on giving it away this year." Cocky? Perhaps. But one cannot discount the style of the young grappler, who was called "spider arms" back home during a wrestling contest by a fellow opponent. The name has since stuck.

A potential surprise this year could arise from Vekaiyu's athletics, as the group continues to change and get better as Vekaiyu continues to gain experience. But many athletes from this department are concerned over the amount of cuts their squad has had to endure this time around. "To say we've got a chip on our shoulder would be an understatement," last year's gold medalist in the women's 400m Elana Hureri joked with reporters. "We're all a little concerned. It's like, yeah, we know many other programs made a lot of strides last year, but so did we."

Uniforms

(Main Article: Vekaiyun Sport Uniforms) Vekaiyu prides itself in its technological and sometimes bizarre uniforms. The Fifth Summer Games showcased Vekaiyun uniforms in multiple sports, which received a peculiar reaction among some of the competing nations. Most of the uniforms were kept on for the Sixth Summer Games. Due the the unusual and often smaller structures of the vulpine people, as well as their religious practices, their uniforms are slightly different than normal human-based nations.

Medalists

Medal	Name(s)	Sport	Event
	Yva Noveli, Ivalsa Beraseri, Riyna McAves, Ikrisia Sulevire (OR)	Swimming	Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay
	Xa Resereru	Judo	Women's 52kg
	Ehjy Ecaste, Kiveli Uskeveru, Stapen Volastre, Vinsent Ivere	Swimming	Men's 4x100m Freestyle Relay
	Iseli Viverisi (OR)	Swimming	Women's 100m Butterfly
	Vinsent Ivere (OR)	Swimming	Men's 100m Backstroke
	Lisa Ikaveri	Swimming	Women's 100m Breaststroke
	Yiisu Eleri	Triathlon	Men's Triathlon
	Ivalsa Beraseri	Swimming	Women's 200m Freestyle
	Keslo Imerloshi	Shooting	Men's 10m Air Rifle
	Vinsent Ivere	Swimming	Men's 100m Freestyle
	Lavano Oglirasi	Shooting	Men's 25m Rapid Fire Pistol
	Ehjy Ecaste	Swimming	Men's 50m Freestyle
	Yamano Viri	Swimming	Men's 100m Butterfly
	Ika Uleveri	Athletics	Women's Heptathlon
	Yva Pivicherostre	Shooting	Women's Trap
	Ileena Useli	Swimming	Women's 50m Freestyle
	Enlil Vosteru	Gymnastics	Men's Pommel Horse
	Elana Hureri	Athletics	Women's 400m
	Vinsent Ligari	Wrestling	Men's 55kg Greco-Roman
	Xa Ikari	Athletics	Women's 3000m Steeplechase
	Ankya Nilu, Ikrisia Sibaki	Synchronized Swimming	Women's Duet
	Seri Valekastre	Athletics	Men's 1500m
	Iseli Lomenestra	Athletics	Women's 400m Hurdles
	Elana Hureri	Athletics	Women's 200m
	Viktor Islavasho	Taekwondo	Men's 58kg
	Liviala Eglestoro	Taekwondo	Women's 49kg
	Elena Viteri	Wrestling	Women's 48kg Freestyle
	Sisani Noverlu	Diving	Women's 10m Platform
	Ehjy Islamesku	Taekwondo	Men's 68kg
	Xa Sipari	Swimming	Women's 10km Open Water
	Riyna Servichi	Cycling	Women's BMX
	Keslo Nikeri	Wrestling	Men's 55kg Freestyle
	Yenga Husteriste	Boxing	Women's Lightweight
	Ankya Subanistre	Gymnastics	Women's Rhythmic Individual
	Isii Sileveri	Boxing	Women's Flyweight
	Ika Solepise, Yva Solakuv, Riyna Bolisavo	Gymnastics	Women's Rhythmic Team
	Ivessi Nislavi, Selvala Yukoloshu	Volleyball	Women's Beach

Medals by sport
Sport				Total
Swimming	6	2	3	11
Gymnastics	2	1	0	3
Taekwondo	2	0	1	3
Wrestling	2	0	1	3
Boxing	2	0	0	2
Athletics	1	3	2	6
Shooting	0	2	1	3
Diving	0	1	0	1
Synchronized Swimming	1	0	0	1
Triathlon	0	1	0	1
Cycling	0	0	1	1
Judo	0	0	1	1
Volleyball	0	0	1	1
Medals by type
Type				Total
Men's	5	5	4	14
Women's	11	5	7	23
Mixed	0	0	0	0
Total	16	10	11	37

• (OR) denotes Olympic Record

	Vekaiyu
Main article: Vekaiyu
Important Topics: Culture ♦ Unonian ♦ Vayan Catholicism ♦ Veskono ♦ Vulpine ♦ Armed Forces ♦ Military Ranks and Uniforms
Government: Kivreskov ♦ Premier ♦ Ikrisia Levinile ♦ Political Parties ♦ Foreign Officers
History: Ancient Vekaiyu ♦ The Time of Troubles ♦ Era of Good Feelings ♦ Trade Leagues ♦ Expansionist Vekaiyu ♦ Partitions of Vekaiyu ♦ Imperial Vekaiyu ♦ Vekaiyu Under Max Venavle ♦ Vekaiyu Under Selvala McEva ♦ 2010 Vekaiyun Civil War
Important Figures (Past and Present): Ikrisia Levinile ♦ Leina Kivelevov ♦ Max Venavle ♦ Selvala McEva ♦ St. Aiya ♦ Todd Leyuski
Sports: Sports in Vekaiyu ♦ Olympic Council ♦ Sport Uniforms ♦ Fifth Summer Olympics ♦ Sixth Winter Olympics ♦ Seventh Summer Olympics ♦ Eighth Summer Olympics