Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (Front R) hands the national flag to Maja Ognjenovic, captain of the Serbian women's volleyball team during the ceremonial reception in Belgrade, capital of Serbia, on July 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Olympic Committee of Serbia)
BELGRADE, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic hosted a ceremonial reception on Sunday for the country's Olympic team, presenting them with the national flag they will carry at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
In his address, Vucic expressed his gratitude to the athletes and conveyed his best wishes for their success.
"I am very nervous in front of such great sportspeople. My task is to wish you good luck at the Olympic Games. I also want to thank you and your families for the effort and sacrifices you've made, choosing to train instead of taking vacations, to achieve something great for our country. We will follow every one of your performances with anticipation and hope," he said, according to a press release from the president's office.
Vucic also expressed hope for a significant medal haul at the Olympics. "I think the basketball game in Lille against the USA will break all viewership records. We are hoping for our biggest medal haul yet, aiming for double digits. Even if we don't achieve that, we will continue to support and love you," he said.
The flag was received by Maja Ognjenovic, captain of the Serbian women's volleyball team, who will be the flag bearer at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, along with water polo player Dusan Mandic.
"Leading such an Olympic team, which includes truly great champions, is a tremendous honor and responsibility, and I thank you for that. We owe special thanks on behalf of the entire Olympic team to our country, which has provided us with the best possible conditions for preparing for such a major competition. I hope we will be able to surpass our achievements from Tokyo, and I believe we will have unwavering support on that path, as we have had in all previous years," Ognjenovic said.
Bozidar Maljkovic, President of the Olympic Committee of Serbia (OKS), also wished the team success and good health. "I would love for Paris to be a true celebration for our athletes, a celebration where we win as many medals as possible and celebrate on the spot. We wish our team luck, good health, and they will take care of everything else. Some say it's about desire, but in sports, the most important thing is skill, and our athletes have all the skill," Maljkovic noted.
According to the press release from OKS, the reception was attended by Serbia's representatives in various sports, including basketball, volleyball, athletics, swimming, canoeing, table tennis, judo, water polo, shooting, wrestling, and 3x3 basketball, as well as officials from the Olympic Committee of Serbia and national sports federations.
According to the Olympic Committee of Serbia, the country is sending 112 athletes, including tennis great Novak Djokovic, NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, and many others. ■
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic (Front) speaks during the ceremonial reception in Belgrade, capital of Serbia, on July 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Olympic Committee of Serbia)
Athletes and officials pose for a photo during the ceremonial reception in Belgrade, capital of Serbia, on July 21, 2024. (Xinhua/Olympic Committee of Serbia)
