Niels Nygaard, left, was among those to honour Georgian Olympians ©EOC

A generation of Georgian Olympians have been celebrated by the country's National Olympic Committee in a ceremony at the Rustaveli Theatre in Tbilisi.

The event was dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the creation of the first Democratic Republic of Georgia following World War One and to the 70th anniversary of International Olympic Day.

A total of 395 Olympians from 27 sports gathered for the event.

They had won a total of 126 medals, including 39 gold.

Others in attendance included Georgian Minister of Sport and Culture Mikheil Giorgadze and European Olympic Committees vice-president Niels Nygaard.

"Georgia has a great history of Olympic sport, and many excellent results have been achieved throughout the years," Nygaard said. 

"The Olympic values are also important to strengthen sports participation for everybody. 

"When you practice sport, you feel better, you get a better life and you get more friends."

Athletes also met with Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze.

Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze met with athletes from the country ©Georgian PM Office
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze met with athletes from the country ©Georgian PM Office

Georgia have won eight gold, eight silver and 17 bronze medals since their first appearance under their own flag at Atlanta 1996.

Wrestling and judo have produced three gold medals each, with weightlifting also producing two.

No medals have been won at the Winter Olympics, although the country have spoken about a possible bid for the 2030 edition.

"We are witnesses and participants of the great historic event now - so many Olympians, the stars of Georgian sport have gathered here under one roof," added Leri Khabelov, the Georgian National Olympic Committee President who claimed Olympic freestyle wrestling gold as part of the Unified Team at Barcelona 1992.

"This day will become a significant page in the sport history as clear evidence of the unity of all generation Olympians."

The event came as 3,000 Georgians also participated in an Olympic Day run in Tbilisi.