Slovenian Olympic Team Ready for Beijing

Hopes for new Slovenian Olympic medals were on everyone's mind as the 62 athletes that make up the Slovenian team for the Olympic Games in Beijing gathered for the first time on Monday. Their goals are headed towards China.

"I am confident that you will again bring back new medals for Slovenia, said Slovenian Olympic Committee president Janez Kocijančič said at the ceremony.

The team includes experienced athletes such as the gold medalists from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, rower Iztok Cop and shooter Rajmond Debevec, who have been at all summer Olympic Games since Slovenia gained independence in 1991.

Five of the athletes have already won Olympic medals, and Kocijancic said they would serve as role models for their younger colleagues.

President Danilo Tuerk wished the athletes a lot of luck. "Luck favours the brave and those who are here tonight are brave," he said.

Tuerk also recalled his time at the United Nations, "when the word on the corridors was that Slovenia was the country with the greatest number of Olympic golds per capita."

Slovenian athletes have won seven golds, eight silvers and 14 bronze medals at summer Olympic games so far in individual sports plus 11 in team sports. This includes medals won for the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the former Yugoslavia.

Minister of Education and Sports Milan Zver meanwhile noted how important it was for the athletes to be on the team, which he said was the highlight of every athlete's career.

"You have long been ambassadors of Slovenia and we are proud of you. Sport is a language that everyone understands, it is the language of intercultural dialogue," he said.

Zver said he was proud that Slovenia has stood up to ideas to boycott the games. "The Olympic Games are special for everyone who loves sport."

Good wishes also came from Chinese Ambassador to Slovenia Zhi Zhaolin, who said the Olympic Games would me modern and green.
(STA)