Moldovan Olympians Honoured with Giant Mural in Chișinău
A giant mural is taking shape in the centre of the capital city, dedicated to Moldovan athletes and the upcoming Paris Olympics.
The artwork will be completed by the end of this week and is already on display at the intersection of Ștefan cel Mare and Ismail streets. Athletes who have qualified for the Olympics have begun adding their signatures to the mural one by one.
Canoeists Maria Olărașu and Daniela Cociu, track and field athlete Zalina Marghiev, canoeist Serghei Tarnovschi, and shooter Ana Dulce are the first athletes to have signed their names on the Olympic mural.
"The atmosphere leading up to the Olympics is unlike anything I've experienced before," said Ana Dulce. "I loved the idea of the mural, and I'm thrilled to see my name up there already. It looks even more impressive close-up than from down below. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to climb up and sign my name."
"This ongoing project is a fantastic initiative for promoting sports and enhancing the city's image," said officials from the National Olympic and Sports Committee (CNOS). The mural will span 400 square metres upon completion and was funded by CNOS partners, with a total cost of 150,000 lei.
"In the lead-up to the Olympics, it's crucial for everyone to be aware of and support our athletes," said Nicolae Juravschi, president of the CNOS. "They feel the encouragement from back home when people cheer them on in competitions."
In addition to the mural, three trolleybuses and two buses decorated with the logo of the Moldovan Olympic team and the Paris Olympics symbols are now circulating the capital's streets. Naturally, the athletes themselves were the first passengers, riding through the streets of Chișinău.
Currently, the Moldovan national Olympic team consists of 14 athletes, with an even split of 8 women and 6 men. This number is expected to increase in the coming days.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
