Putin welcomes Russian team in Sochi

President Vladimir Putin has taken part in a ceremony of welcoming the Russian delegation at the Olympic Games in Sochi.

The president took photos with Russian athletes, mayor of the Olympic Village, Russian pole vault champion Yelena Isinbayeva and vice-mayor, world figure skating champion Irina Slutskaya. They gave regular gloves. Then the national was performed and the flag was run. The president welcomed the Russian team and said words of encouragement.

“All our fans, and there are hundred thousands, millions of them, will watch very attentively each our competition. All of us count very much on you and pin hopes on you. We have a young, promising team and I do not doubt that you will do your best to win,” Putin said at a welcome ceremony with the delegation of the Russian Olympic Committee in the Coastal Olympic Village in the city of Sochi on Wednesday.

“The most important is fair, open and courageous fight. You will attain best results in your sport career. I would like very much that you will receive pleasure from this difficult, heavy and responsible work and so that you will be happy,” he said. In the view of Putin, today’s high performance sport keeps surprising people. “What you do is on the edge of human capacities,” the president noted, adding that this makes all people who like sport excited.

“I wish you good luck, because luck is also very important alongside labor, courage and willpower. Let it be with you. I wish you successes and all the best,” he said in conclusion.