The Latvian flag-colored plane brought home cyclist Toms Skujiņš, athletes Valters Kreišs, Rūta Kate Lasmane, Agate Caune, BMX rider Veronika Monika Stūriška and the athletes' coaches.
Valters Kreišs admits that coming home with the 12th-place title left him with the feeling that he could have done better. But now he is happy to be back. "My first Olympics. It's just the beginning. And I'd say it's a pretty good start. Finally I'm home and I can sleep in my comfortable bed."
Toms Skujiņš had a very good result in road cycling, finishing 5th, the second-best result in Latvian cycling history.
"Of course, it's satisfying. But if I could have had a medal around my neck, it would have been even better," said Skujiņš.
His goal is to go to the beach tonight and start training again tomorrow.
BMX individual competitor Veronika Monika Stūriška, who was injured, is not happy about the result but promises to rest and get back to training. It is her debut and also her first welcome ceremony.
"It was a very cool feeling to see that someone was waiting for us at the fence. And that there will be a welcome, that we are appreciated. The first feeling was that it was the most unreal event of my life, and it stayed that way. For example, the opening ceremony. The second part at the Eiffel. It was unreal to see it with your own eyes and to live in the Olympic Village where you know that these are the best athletes in the world," said Stūriška.
President Edgars Rinkēvičs, who was in Riga yesterday to watch our 3x3 basketball team in action, also returned on this flight. The players themselves will return home tomorrow.
