More than 2800 young athletes between 14 and 18, divided in teams from 82 municipalities from across Latvia, competed in 27 Olympic and 2 non-Olympic sports at the biggest Latvia youth multiple sports event ever: the 7^th Latvian Youth Olympiad.

The Latvian Olympic Committee organized the event on 7-9 July, using the sports facilities of Cesis municipality and other neighbouring municipalities.

The biggest team was from Latvian capital Riga, with 430 athletes who topped the medal ranking with 77 gold, 46 silver and 67 bronze medals.  The best participants in the sports on the Gyor 2017 programme will represent Latvia in the European Youth Olympic Festival in Hungary, in less than two weeks time.

The Opening Ceremony on Saturday 7 July included athlete, coach and referee oaths, and the arrival of the Olympic flame and Flag. Official addresses were made by NOC President Aldons Vrublevskis, Latvia’s Minister of Education and Science Karlis Sadurskis, and Cesis Mayor Janis Rozenbergs. Spectacular fireworks ended the great evening held at the 13th century Castle Park.

Latvia is the only European country that every 2 years organises such an event for youth, and for Elite athletes every 4 years, for all Olympic sports practiced in Latvia.

Among other NOC guests, Georgian NOC Secretary General Emzar Zenaishvili attended the event with a view to in future doing something similar for Georgia’s young athletes.