Representing the subsequent host country of the World Aquatics Championships, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán received the flag of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) on Sunday at the closing ceremony in Kazan.

In his speech, the Prime Minister said that although according to the championship medals table Russia won nine gold medals, the number should actually be ten, as the organisers should also receive one.

Mr. Orbán emphasised that in Kazan the bar was set high, but the Hungarians will do everything in order to organise a similarly successful event in two years’ time.

The Prime Minister expressed the hope that in 2017 Hungary can be similarly proud when it presents the FINA flag to the organiser of the 2019 championship, the South Korean city of Gwangju.

“We will meet in Budapest in 2017”, he said in closing.

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At the closing ceremony, Prime Minister of Russia Dmitry Medvedev expressed his gratitude to Kazan, and said that they were passing the baton to Budapest with the wish that the next World Championships will be similarly successful and that the Hungarians will win as many medals as they have in 2015.

Mr. Medvedev added that the 16th World Aquatics Championships had welcomed over 3,000 sportsmen and women from 190 countries.

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In his speech, President of FINA Julio C. Maglione said that one of the most wonderful chapters in FINA’s history had been closed in Kazan, the host city of the best world championships so far,  and a place where all have felt at home.

The President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov also thanked the organisers and the audience.

According to the original plans, Hungary was going to host the 2021 World Championships, but following the withdrawal of the Mexican city of Guadalajara on 11 March this year, Budapest was chosen to organise the 2017 event. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Julio C. Maglione signed the relevant agreement in Lausanne on 16 April.

(Prime Minister's Office, MTI)