Other Sports

Mexico president delivers flag to Pan-American Games athletes

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-06-28 08:56

Mexico's President Felipe Calderon, on Wednesday formally presented the national flag to the country's athletes who are heading for the Pan-American Games in Brazilian city Rio de Janeiro.

Speaking at a ceremony, attended by 200 athletes, held in the National Palace, a historic building in Mexico City's central square, the Zocalo, Calderon said he had no doubt that Rio will see great sporting victories for Mexico, adding that Mexico's athletes were examples to follow.

Speaking for the 396-strong Games squad, Maria del Rosario Espinoza, World Tae-Kwon Do Champion, said the greatest dream of a Mexican athlete was to hear the national anthem and to see the nation's flag fly.

She promised that all would have the courage, commitment and the determination, and will carry the nation's colors -- green, white, and red -- in with pride, because "we have trained properly, thanks to the daily work with our coaches and multi-disciplinary teams".

Carlos Hermosillo, head of the National Commission for Sport and Physical Culture said that the athletes will reach their goals thanks to hard work and passion.

At the same ceremony, the Telmex Foundation said the athletes would earn 200,000 pesos (18,200 U.S. dollars) if they win gold, 50,000 pesos (4,545 dollars) for silver and 30,000 pesos (3,000 dollars) for bronze.