Some four days are left before Olympic squads of Uzbekistan leave for London as the sports delegation will depart to the capital of the 30th Summer Olympic Games on July 24.

On July 18, national athletes had a traditional ceremony of laying flowers to Independence and Humanism Monument in Independence Square, Amir Temur and Alisher Navoi monuments and a reception in Navruz restaurant.

A lot of good parting words sounded in the evening. But the words of President Islam Karimov, delivered by the Prime Minister Shavkat Mirziyoyev, stirred the most excitement of athletes. “The thirty-million Uzbek nation was happy for each athlete, enjoyed each Olympic license,” the Prime Minister said. “And now we are hoping for worthy performance of Uzbek athletes on sports arenas in London. You are to face big sports challenges. And we are waiting for good news from the Olympic Games. But most importantly, how the president said, we hope you come back home safe and sound.”

At the end of the evening, the chairman of the Senate of Oliy Majlis of Uzbekistan Ilgizar Sobirov handed the national flag to the flag-bearer of the Uzbek Olympic team, twice champion of the Asian Games, the boxer Elshod Rasulov. Under this flag, athletes of Uzbekistan will be marching on the opening parade of the 30th Summer Olympic Games. (Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)