The Head of State Has Taken Part in the Solemn Ceremony of Honoring the Champions and Prize-Holders

- Olympic medals, high sports results and achievements of our athletes are a worthy gift for the upcoming 25th anniversary of Independence of Kazakhstan. You’ve met the expectations of not only your coaches and fans, but also of all the Kazakhstanis, having confirmed the high standard of international sporting glory of our country, - said Nursultan Nazarbayev.

The President of Kazakhstan noted that our team has won 17 different medals in the completed summer Olympics.

- This is more than we ever had in other Olympic Games in the history of Kazakhstan's participation in the international Olympic movement. In the unofficial medal standings, our Olympic team is at the 22nd place among the sports teams of 207 countries. We are proud that the national anthem has sounded and the flag of our country has been raised three times over the Olympic platforms in Rio. This is how the wins of the Olympic champions - the boxer Daniyar Yeleussinov, the swimmer Dmitriy Balandin who is the first one in our history, the weightlifter Nizhat Rakhimov – have been marked. A huge contribution to the common fund of the Olympic success has been made by 5 silver and 9 bronze medalists, - said the Head of State.

Nursultan Nazarbayev has also thanked the coach staff of the national team, families of the Olympians and all the Kazakhstani fans for their support, as well as the athletes for the demonstrated will to fight fair and gain the Olympic glory.

The President of Kazakhstan emphasized that the successes of the national team are inspiring for the Paralympic athletes for the upcoming XV Summer Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and wished them good luck and good results.

The Head of State noted that 25 years of Kazakhstan's participation in the international Olympic movement have been marked by many bright victories of our athletes.

- The Olympic treasury of Kazakhstan, taking into account the awards won by the Kazakhstanis in the Olympics in 2016, has already 69 medals. Our country has 19 Olympic champions, 22 silver and 28 bronze medalists of the Summer and Winter Olympic Games starting since 1992. These are the great achievements: the result of the constant care of the state and creation of conditions for the development of sports, - said Nursultan Nazarbayev.

In the conclusion, the President of Kazakhstan once again congratulated all the Kazakhstanis on the achieved wins wishing new successes in the world’s sports Olympus.

In their turn, the winners, prize-holders and participants of the Olympic Games, who made their speeches in the course of the event, thanked the Head of State for the constant support and attention to the issues of development of sports and physical culture in the country.

During the ceremony, Nursultan Nazarbayev also presented state awards to the champions and prize-holders of the Olympic Games.

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