OREANDA-NEWS. Prime Minister Pavel Filip today handed over the state flag to the national Olympic team, which will represent Moldova at the 31st issue of the Summer Olympic Games, due in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on 5-21 August.   

The Prime Minister urged the Moldovan sportspeople to prove perseverance and represent Moldova with pride, stressing that the mission they have was an honour, as well as a great responsibility. “I am sure that you will represent us with honour at the Olympic Games and will make every effort so that, by the results recorded, arouse the feeling of pride in coaches and all citizens of Moldova, who, just like me, are strongly confident in your talent, strongly trust the success due to be registered,” Pavel Filip said.     

Youth and Sport Minister Victor Zubcu also came up with a message of encouragement. He said that the authorities were taking needed efforts to back the performance sport and facilitate representatives of Moldova in as many international competitions as possible. For his part, the head of the National Olympic and Sports Committee, Nicolae Juravschi, thanked the government for the support provided to sportspeople and the Committee for the good organization of its work and creating necessary conditions for carrying out trainings.    

In the end of the meeting, the prime minister wished sportspeople to record outstanding results, and the Moldovan flag be hoisted in Rio de Janeiro as often as possible. “You should know that we are proud with you, no matter the results due to be registered at this Olympiad, as you are the best for us, and you are, in fact, the pride of Moldova,” the Prime Minister added.   

The sportspeople attending the event gave assurances that they would do their utmost to register good results and return to Moldova with medals and leading positions. “We will do our best to represent our country at the highest level, ” the colour bearer of Moldova at this issue of Olympic Games, Nicolae Ceban, said.   

Moldova will be represented by 21 sportspeople at the 31st issue of the Summer Olympic Games, who will compete in eight events: athletics, swimming, canoe, taekwondo, wrestling, weight-lifting, judo and archery.     

It is worth mentioning that, in last May, the government approved a decision, under which the Olympic champions will be receive awards worth three million lei each, the silver medalists will get 2.6 million lei each, while the bronze winners will receive 2 million lei each. The sportspeople occupying the positions 4-8 will get money awards ranging from 200,000 to 400,000 lei.