In his speech, the President of Latvia stressed that the truly brilliant success in any field, including sports, cannot be achieved only due to talent, whereas excellence was based on painstaking daily work, determination, and self-management. He also praised the efforts of coaches contributed to growth of athletes, support ensured by the families of athletes; he also thanked all supporters of the Latvian Olympic team; he pointed out the proverb of the founder of modern Olympic Games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin that not triumph but the struggle was the most important in life.
While wishing good success in Rio, the President of Latvia presented a gift to the Latvian Olympic team consisting of the flag of Latvia as a symbol of national belonging and rye bread, which embodied the motherland and popular feeling.
“The fact that somebody believes in us very much empowers us a lot,” said Raimonds Vējonis. “I wish you to show the best performance possible from the bottom of my heart, I wish you strength, psychological resilience and inner peace, health, and fighting spirit. We all will keep our fingers crossed for you!”