From July 8th to July14th, Austria was - by the the second time - the host nation of a "World Gymnaestrada" and the Gymnastics Federation of Portugal was there! 1521 gymnasts worked hard to make part of this delegation and by the July 8th opening ceremony, we were the third biggest delegation to enter the stadium!

All our team members followed the spirit of this 13th edition "Come together. Be one" and they've fully enjoyed the biggest world gymnastics festival! Each of them won't ever forget the efficient organization and they'll take forever in their hearts the friendly Austrian warm-welcoming, the surrounding sights and the great time spent there~.

For the history, our delegation members performed in more than 110 public presentations (hall performances, city performances, large group performances, national evening and FIG Gala). In total more than 23 hours of Portuguese gymnastics!!!

This 13th edition had also other important numbers that deserve to be mentioned: 22,000 gymnasts from 57 countries (from the 5 continents), more than 1,800 participant groups, 4,000 volunteers and a friendly but outstanding LOC made possible the smooth running of the more than 600 hours of gymnastics that were delivered during the event!

In terms of national media return, this "13th World Gymnaestrada" was not forgotten and our delegation was clearly under the spotlight - after all, 1520 gymnasts were a peecefull and partying national ambassade for this unique event! As an example, the most famous Portuguese sports newspaper "A Bola" had a reporter "on-site" and made the daily stories of the event; Our national television (RTP) had two reporters on-site and broadcasted live our National Evening and delayed the FIG Gala, it also had daily stories on RTP prime-time news and two stories per day (24hr cicle) on it's cable news network (RTPN). The Portuguese biggest private channel (SIC) made some prime-time news histories with our delegation and developed a special blog-site for all the national team members.

The Gymnastics Federation of Portugal would like to publicly recognize and thank the efforts from all the national participants, national media and GFP sponsors that contributed to make this event a truly memorable one.

In special we would like to thank all the schools directors and staff that have accomodated the majority of our participants and made them feel at home. To anyone that help us in this magnificent schools our many thanks:

• Bundeshandelsakademie und Bundeshandelsschule
• Hauptschule Bregenz-Rieden
• Sporthauptschule Vorkloster
• Polytechnische Schule
• Volksschule Bregenz-Schendlingen

A deep felt "Thank You" for the Familie Geisseler and it's team at the "Hotel Deutschmann" (Bregenz) that hosted our federation staff, receiving them with a genuine Austrian hospitality. Many, many thanks for  their role as "unofficial" guides of the City of Bregenz and Austrian sights, culture and way of life. Everyone will treasure all the enjoyable moments lived at our main "head-quarters". 

Finally our thanks to all the friends we've also made in Bregenz City (The Bürgermeister and Bregenz Town Hall Staff, International Relations from the City of Bregenz, Bregenz Tourismos, all the team of translators), to the FIG representatives and to the all the "13th WG" LOC that helped us providing the most pleasent experience to our delegation members and media. We won't ever forget this event. We'll bring forever a piece of Austria and its friendly people in our hearts!

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