Polish president Andrzej Duda has left for Paris to attend the grand opening ceremony of the Olympics on Friday, and to give his support to the Polish national team.
Before leaving the country, Duda wished the Polish athletes “good luck” and expressed hope that they would “significantly exceed the limit of 300 Olympic medals.”
Poland has won a total of 298 Olympic medals since the country first entered the Games.
"We will be happy with every success. We keep our fingers crossed for all athletes," he said.
The head of state also noted that this year marks 100 years since Poland made its Olympic debut.
In 1924, the Polish team consisted of 65 athletes: 64 men and one woman named Wanda Dubieńska, who competed in the fencing championship.
This year, 213 Poles will be competing, including 100 men and 113 women.
Duda will stay in the French capital until Sunday, the president’s office announced on its website.
On Friday, Duda will also attend an oath-taking ceremony at the Polish House in Paris for Polish athletes and representatives of the Polish Olympic Committee.
The next day, he will visit the Olympic Village and watch Poland's men's volleyball team take on Egypt.
On Sunday he is scheduled to watch the Polish national team in the rowing regatta and the national women's volleyball team as they take on Japan.
The grand opening ceremony of the Games is set to take place on the banks of the River Seine, which is the first time this competition will take place outside of a stadium.
This year’s Olympics ceremony will be a striking spectacle, as more than 8,000 athletes from across the globe will be transported by boat along a six-kilometer stretch of the Seine in a type of ‘sporting armada,’ as police, frogmen and snipers watch and stand guard.
Around 45,000 police will be mobilized, along with many army units that have been rehearsing for two years for the event.
Swimming races are also scheduled to take place on the Seine - a move which has drawn criticism over concerns about the river’s cleanliness.
The Games will take place from July 26 to August 11.
Poland has won a total of 298 Olympic medals since the country first entered the Games.
"We will be happy with every success. We keep our fingers crossed for all athletes," he said.
The head of state also noted that this year marks 100 years since Poland made its Olympic debut.
In 1924, the Polish team consisted of 65 athletes: 64 men and one woman named Wanda Dubieńska, who competed in the fencing championship.
This year, 213 Poles will be competing, including 100 men and 113 women.
Duda will stay in the French capital until Sunday, the president’s office announced on its website.
On Friday, Duda will also attend an oath-taking ceremony at the Polish House in Paris for Polish athletes and representatives of the Polish Olympic Committee.
The next day, he will visit the Olympic Village and watch Poland's men's volleyball team take on Egypt.
On Sunday he is scheduled to watch the Polish national team in the rowing regatta and the national women's volleyball team as they take on Japan.
The grand opening ceremony of the Games is set to take place on the banks of the River Seine, which is the first time this competition will take place outside of a stadium.
This year’s Olympics ceremony will be a striking spectacle, as more than 8,000 athletes from across the globe will be transported by boat along a six-kilometer stretch of the Seine in a type of ‘sporting armada,’ as police, frogmen and snipers watch and stand guard.
Around 45,000 police will be mobilized, along with many army units that have been rehearsing for two years for the event.
Swimming races are also scheduled to take place on the Seine - a move which has drawn criticism over concerns about the river’s cleanliness.
The Games will take place from July 26 to August 11.
More In Sports MORE...
