13th European Youth Olympic Festival ends in Tbilisi

The European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) has closed after six days of intense competition in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi with a festive closing ceremony.

Four thousand young athletes from 50 nations who came to the Georgian capital for the international sporting competition, commonly known as Tbilisi 2015, said farewell to their hosts and fellow athletes once the event ended yesterday, August 1.

At the end of the six-day competition Georgia ranked 10th of 50 participating nations after it gained four gold and six bronze medals. Nine of the ten medals won by Georgian athletes were won by judokas. 

Last night’s closing ceremony began with the Georgian national anthem after which Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili addressed the athletes and spectators. He thanked those who organised the event and the businesses, organisations, athletes, coaches, volunteers and everyone else who had contributed to Tbilisi 2015 being a success. 

Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said the European Youth Olympic Festival helped build peace among nations. 

The PM noted the experience gained by Georgia by hosting the international event would be "very beneficial” for Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic intentions. 

"Each minute of the Festival is precious for me. I witnessed a special devoutness to performing a job, professionalism, braveness, strength, teamwork and fair competition in the course of a week.” 

"The festival is closing but it grants us a special inheritance for our future advancement. I hope that all athletes enjoyed a great time here and will return to their homes full of positive emotions,” said Garibashvili. 

A performance at the closing ceremony of Tbilisi EYOF.

After the PM’s speech the Olympic flame was extinguished and PM Garibashvili handed over the Olympic flag to Hungary – the next host country of the European Youth Olympic Festival, which will take place in 2017.

The flag exchanging ceremony in the EYOF 2015 closing ceremony.Photo by Tbilisi 2015 EYOF

The closing ceremony ended with a grand fireworks display.

Photo by Tbilisi 2015 EYOF

The final medal tally of the EYOF 2015 is: 

1. Russia - 17 gold, 9 silver, 11 bronze

2. Italy - 12 gold, 2 silver, 10 bronze 

3. France - 9 gold, 5 silver, 8 bronze

4. Hungary - 9 gold, 3 silver, 11 bronze

5. Slovakia - 5 gold, 6 silver, 5 bronze

6. Moldova - 5 gold, 2 silver

7. Great Britain - 4 gold, 8 silver, 8 bronze

8. Spain - 4 gold, 7 silver, 6 bronze

9. The Netherlands - 4 gold, 3 silver, 8 bronze

10. Georgia – 4 gold, six bronze.