Brdo pri Kranju - President Borut Pahor and Minister of Sport Simona Kustec received the Slovenian Tokyo Olympics team at Brdo pri Kranju on Tuesday, congratulating and thanking the athletes for their achievements at the latest Summer Games. They also highlighted the role of sports in boosting a sense of community and bringing people together.

Slovenia bagged five Olympic medals in Tokyo, including three gold medals, the highest tally for the country at any Olympics, summer or winter, since its independence.

Sport climber Janja Garnbret, canoeist Benjamin Savšek and rider Primož Roglič became Olympic champions, whereas judoka Tina Trstenjak took silver and rider Tadej Pogačar bronze. The Slovenian men's basketball team meanwhile finished fourth in what was their first Olympic tournament after losing by a point to France in the semi-finals.

Garnbret, Trstenjak and Savšek attended today's reception, where Pahor stressed the importance of what the athletes had given Slovenians over the past two weeks. "You are those rare and called upon individuals who have been given the opportunity and task" to inspire and bring people together, he said, noting they had excelled at this.

Kustec also thanked them for inspiring people in the time of the pandemic, announcing additional steps to help the sports sector. The measures will be unveiled in the second half of September, she said.

The reception was also attended by Slovenian Olympic Committee president Bogdan Gabrovec and the head of the Slovenian Tokyo Olympics team and former legendary athlete Miro Cerar. The latter praised not just the medal-winning athletes but all who had made it to the Tokyo Games.

On behalf of the entire team, Garnbret thanked Pahor and all who helped the athletes on their way to Tokyo for their support. "It was a great honour to represent our country," she said.

The grand reception for the Slovenian Tokyo Olympics team will be held in Congress Square in Ljubljana tonight at 9pm. Parliamentary Speaker Igor Zorčič is expected to attend the event.