Dear ladies and gentlemen,
Dear friends,
We have gathered here today to celebrate the greatest and the most outstanding Latvian athletes. However, sporting community is much broader than athletes. There are also coaches. And, there are also massage therapists, reporters, photographers and many others who help athletes achieve top results. Of course, there also officials and organisations, and it is only obvious that all of them should be gathered here today. Athletes and everyone who is involved in sports. Sporting community is also much broader than that. It encompasses all sports enthusiasts, fans and spectators. Actually, in one way or another, the whole Latvia is part of the sporting community. Everyone of us is either an amateur athlete, spectator, supporters or a member of athletic family.
As athletes, you probably have the strongest bond with Latvia. Unlike in any other profession, your personal victories are celebrated with the national flag and anthem. That, of course, means that you represent yourself and you also represent the whole country, and our country is proud of you. You are the ones who represent Latvia globally.
Today I have the honour to present the Lifetime Achievement Award and Imants Ziediņš is this year’s winner. A man who founded the Talsi Hockey Academy and raised many generations of young hockey players. He made youngsters fall in love with the sport and made their careers. Latvian hockey would not be what it is today without Imants Ziediņš. I am sure all of you know how important the ability to see the whole field is for a hockey player. And, Imants Ziediņš is a man who had it. I could only wish for more men and women like him, with ability to see the whole field, in all areas.
The way he has worked with youth, mentoring and getting them involved in sports, shows that Imants Ziediņš is a true idealist. An idealist who is capable of making his ideals real. So, he is a real idealist,
It is, indeed, my pleasure to present this award to Imants Ziediņš tonight.
