Gathering in a candle-lit Panorama Room, the Ukrainian National Olympic Committee welcomed its members and athletes Tuesday night.
“On behalf of Ukraine, we welcome you to share the spirit of the Olympics,” said NOC President Ivan Fedorenko through a translator. “We chose tonight to be meeting of friends.”
Fedorenko encouraged the attendees to make friends from all parts of the world.
“This is a celebration of the athletes and the youth of the world. We are here tonight to meet friends from the Ukraine and the world,” he said.
As part of the welcome speeches, Fedorenko handed out appreciation awards to staff members and volunteers who had helped him.
After the awards, guests ate dinner and drank imported Ukrainian alcohol.
“Please help yourself to dinner, and go drink!” he said.
The majority of attendees were national and international Olympic committee members. Few athletes attended due to competition schedules.
Although he had an event on Feb. 13, short-track speed skater Volodymyr Hryhor’yev attended the event with his father and coach Victor. In January, Hryhor’yev hurt his knee and has been able to skate for about 10 days before his first Olympic competitions.
“He has trained before the injury,” said Victor Hryhor’yev through a translator. “That will help him in his performance.”
As far as how well the 19-year old will do, he said “only the path will show.”
While he’s uncertain about his finish, he enjoys the Olympic Village “very much.”
“We haven’t had a lot of time to go out and see Salt Lake much,” Volodymyr Hryhor’yev said.
“But the view is very nice here [in the Panorama Room],” Victor Hryhor’yev said.