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GREETING FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF FINLAND
Olympic team of Finland,
You are participating in the toughest athletics championships in the world, the Olympic
Games. With thousands of hours of training about to reach your top-level, remember to
enjoy the opportunity to showcase your skills at the arenas in Rio.
By qualifying for the Olympic Games, you have already shown that you are among the
world's best in your events. With skills acquired on the training field and the chance of
success clearly in place, winning is often a matter of what is going through your head. I
believe that the more courage you have and the more you believe in yourselves, the better
you will perform!
Although it is the athletes who perform, we should also remember the many background
staff who do so much to ensure that the best performances are achieved. Finland has
shown in many sports that a tight-knit and mutually supportive team can still achieve
better-than-normal performances. You should therefore seek to squeeze every last drop of
strength from your team – in order to achieve the best results.
I wish you all razor-sharp form, successful performances and unforgettable experiences
which we Finns can follow from the TV in Finland or live at the Olympics!
Sauli Niinistö
President of the Republic of Finland