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Natalia Paderina (left), the silver medalist from Russia, shared the medal podium with Nino Salukvadze from Georgia, who won bronze on August 10.
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While Russia and Georgia are on the brink of war, their athletes made peace on the medal podium at the Games on August 10.
After the women's 10-meter air pistol competition on Sunday, Natalia Paderina, the silver medalist from Russia, shared the medal podium with Nino Salukvadze from Georgia, who won bronze. The two rivals gave each other a hug and a kiss on the cheek.
Just two days ago, while Russian Prime Minister Vladimir V. Putin was waving to the athletes at the opening ceremony of the 2008 Games in Beijing, Russian tanks moved into South Ossetia, a disputed region of Georgia.
"We have been good friends since we practiced together a long time ago. Nino was once an athlete of the former Soviet Union. We won't let politics come between our friendship. Sports are not politics," revealed Paderina.
The conflict between Russia and Georgia has left over a thousand dead. Early on Sunday morning Georgia considered withdrawing from the Games, but Mikheil Saakashvili, the country's President, decided that the 35-strong delegation should stay and compete in Beijing.
Hours later, Salukvadze finished third in women's air-pistol with 487.4 points, winning Georgia's first medal at the Games.
Paderina and Salukvadze, the two medalists, spoke together at the press conference after the event. When asked how she felt on the podium with her Russian rival, the 39-year-old shooter said that sports should be taken as a way to make friends. "This is a small victory for us two."
Yet it really was more difficult for Salukavadze, whose country is in great difficulty, to compete with others at the Games. On the reason why she gave Paderina a kiss on the cheek, she said: "We wish there were no wars. If the politicians were to learn anything from us, there would be no wars."
According to the Minister of Press and Publicity Department of the International Olympic Committee, at present, none of the Russian or Georgian athletes has considered withdrawing from the Games despite the escalating military conflict between the two countries.