After Petrounias’ performance, the Prime Minister spoke about the much-discussed Opening Ceremony from the previous day and the sports he plans to watch.
On the sidelines of the Greek champion’s competition, Mr. Mitsotakis met with the wife of U.S. President Joe Biden, Jill, in the stands, where they exchanged a warm greeting.
Statements from Kyriakos Mitsotakis
On the Opening Ceremony:
“It was certainly something very impressive. Some things aesthetically may not have pleased us, but it was a very good effort. Perhaps we are a bit biased, but the opening ceremony of 2004 is a point of reference for us. Maybe it was better designed for television rather than for the spectators.”
On Lefteris Petrounias:
“Lefteris Petrounias is always a very impressive athlete. When you see the athlete live, you understand how difficult this sport is.”
On the events he will watch:
“We will stay until Sunday afternoon. We will watch more events. We will see water polo, some tennis, and swimming.”
On the significance of the Olympic Games: “I haven’t attended the Olympic Games since 2004. For us Greeks, the Olympic Games hold special significance. I am very moved and very happy as a fan to see our athletes striving for the best.”
On the government’s investments in sports: “So far, this has been a very good year for sports. The most important thing is to lay the foundations and establish the right infrastructure so we can excel in many different sports and, most importantly, to give young people the opportunity to find the sport they are most interested in. The collaboration with the Hellenic Olympic Committee and the federations must always be very close.”
And the message for the efforts of Greek athletes: “The message is one: Let’s go strong and achieve the best.”
