Venezuelan Julio Mayora presented his silver medal in weights to captain Hugo Chavez. Photo: Reuters
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro celebrated on Sunday the “best” results achieved by Venezuela in the history of the Olympic Games, with three silver and one gold medal in Tokyo 2020.
“We are like Venezuela as a country that achieves the best results in the entire Olympic history of Venezuelan athletics and sports thanks to the boys and coaches,” Maduro said in a speech broadcast by state channel VTV.
The President noted that “it is necessary to improve and expand the sports audience (…) to improve the system of searching for talent for all athletes when they reach the age of eight or nine (…) and to create the conditions to bring them in. The best coaches and professionals in the world.”
He reported that he will launch the “Olympic Road Plan” for Paris 2024, to promote the sports field and the training of athletes from Venezuela.
However, Maduro rejected the campaign on social media to “Degrading” the Venezuelan delegation.
“There is a network campaign against the Venezuelan delegation, a campaign to undermine the morale of our Olympic delegation.”
“They will not be able to fight Julio Mayura or us (…),” the president said, referring to the criticism the Venezuelan athlete received after He dedicated his silver medal in weightlifting to the late President Hugo Chavez (1999-2013).
On Sunday, with her world-record triple jump victory, Yulimar Rojas became the first Venezuelan Olympic champion in history.
So far, Venezuela has won four medals at Tokyo 2020, the highest number at a Games in its history.
(With information from EFE)
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