2009 SU Update: More Flags Fly in the Village

The South African delegation

More flying flags in the Belgrade Universiade Athletes’ Village today, June 27th, as Village Mayor Ranko Tepavcevic officially welcomed the delegations of South Africa, Uganda, Costa Rica, Honduras and Zimbabwe.

Costa Rica together with El Salvador‘Your Excellencies, dear athletes and Heads of Delegation, dear guests, I am very thrilled to see you all gathered here in the University Village. I sincerely hope your first impressions of the Village are positive, but I also hope and believe that they will remain positive in the end, when you return to your homes’, the Village Mayor said. ‘What is important for us is to do our best to make you feel comfortable in the Village and to make your stay in Belgrade memorable. I wish you a wonderful time in the University Village, some original moments, and great results in the Games! Welcome to Belgrade’, Mr. Tepavcevic continued.

South African soccer player Vivian Rapakgadi

Vivian Nokuthula Rapakgadi is a member of the South African Women’s soccer team who is continuously smiling. ‘I love Belgrade. I want to stay here forever’, she joked. ‘The Village is so clean and brand new. It’s great’, she told FISU Media. ‘The competition will be very challenging. We play our first game against a strong contender, Brazil. It’s going to be tough’, she added.

Tuso Kudzai from Zimbabwe is in Europe for the first time. ‘Great Village’, the Javelin thrower said. ‘I’m looking forward to the competition.’

Randall Gutierrez and Kristy Barrantes are staff members of the Costa Rican delegation. ‘We came ahead of our delegation to prepare their arrival. The Village is very nice’, the Central Americans said.

So far, 1,048 participants from 53 countries are accredited.

The delegation from Uganda

Kudzai Tuso & Roselyn Runyanga from Zimbabwe