The journey of the Lithuanian Olympic delegation in Japan has begun. The first to leave for Hiratsuka were the heads of the Olympic Sport Directorate of the National Olympic Committee of Lithuania (LNOC) Einius Petkus and Agnė Vanagienė.

Hiratsuka is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, an hour’s drive from Tokyo, with a population of over 257 thousand people. It is here that most of the Lithuanian athletes are going to attend the acclimatisation camp before the launch of the Tokyo Olympics.

“Due to strict restrictions, athletes will be admitted to the Olympic Village only 5 days before the first competitions in a particular sport. This is a big challenge for athletes coming from other continents. 5 days is certainly not enough time for acclimatisation, for taking a break after the trip and for preparing for the most important career starts.

Therefore, we are very happy to cooperate with Hiratsuka, which not only gave us a warm welcome but also ensured the best training conditions for our athletes,” said Director of the Olympic Sports Directorate Einius Petkus.

Einius Petkus (left) and Agnė Vanagienė at Tokai University, gymnast Robert Tvorogal’s training place.

After arriving in Japan, Einius Petkus and Agnė Vanagienė visited the training bases where the athletes of the Lithuanian Olympic team will exercise hard; they also met the Mayor of Hiratsuka City, Chairman of the City Council and Head of the Lithuanian Cooperation Group.

“Hiratsuka is ready to welcome our athletes. The training conditions are just as had been discussed, security requirements are strictly observed, and the people working with the National Team are ready to help in any matter.

In order to ensure security, the Lithuanian delegation has been given four floors of the hotel and part of the restaurant, which means that unnecessary contact will be avoided. The rules here are as strict as they will be at the Olympics,