At the Republican Olympic training base in Almaty region the official ceremony of seeing off the national team of Kazakhstan to the XXXIII Summer Olympic Games took place. The main starts of the quadrennium will be held from 26 July to 11 August in Paris.

Kazakhstan will be represented by 80 athletes who will compete for 81 sets of medals in 25 sports. It should be noted that our national team under its flag takes part in the Summer Olympics for the eighth time.

During the meeting, Ermek Marzhikpaev talked to the athletes and their coaches, expressed support and wished good luck in the upcoming competitions. The Minister emphasised the special significance of this event for the whole country.

‘You are facing an honourable and very responsible task - to represent our country at the Games in Paris. I am sure that your champion character, perseverance, will to win, skill together with the painstaking work of coaches, doctors, masseurs will lead to great results. Over the years of independence our country has brought up 79 medallists of summer and winter Olympic Games, including 15 Olympic champions. Olympic achievements are the image of the country in the world, an indicator of the welfare of the state, and most importantly - it will be the result of your many years of hard work!’, - said Yermek Marzhikpayev.

Kazakhstan's national team will compete for the first time in such Olympic programme events as breaking and badminton. Amir Zakirov will take part in breaking from our country, and in badminton - Dmitry Panarin.

The opening ceremony of the Olympic Games will be held on 26 July on the river Seine in Paris. More than 10 thousand athletes from 205 countries will take part in the competitions. They will play 329 sets of medals in 32 sports.