Other events in Baltic States

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite has awarded Lithuanian basketball players, winners of the world U19 Basketball Championship, with state the state awards of the Order for Merits to Lithuania, informs LETA/ELTA.

The president says that Lithuania can be proud of not only glorious and victorious history of sports but the country can also be proud of having a strong and promising future of sports. "We have repeatedly shown to the world our fortitude and strength with our basketball victories. We have tested and developed our own patriotism. Victories bring together the country as then, in those high moments of triumph, we understand that we all belong to one country, to Lithuania. All together. All hand in hand. It is a great merit of you all," Grybauskaite said to the young basketball players.

Presenting the medals, the head of state wished the basketball players good luck and determination to pursue sporting heights. The basketball players and their coaches gave the President a t-shirt of the U19 national basketball team and a basket ball with signatures of all players on it. As reported, the Lithuanian basketball team won the golden medals in the World U-19 Basketball Championship finals in Latvia, defeating Serbian players. Lithuania won the youth basketball championship gold for the first time ever.