In the last two weeks, Moldova has been watching with excitement the evolution of the young national team at the Youth Olympic Games held in Buenos Aires. Excitement turned into great joy when our country rose to the highest level of the podium in two disciplines. Tatiana Salcutan and Alexandrin Gutu have made us proud of their Olympic gold medal performance in swimming and Greco-Roman wrestling.
According to the Edelweiss’s tradition to support and reward achievements, upon their arrival home the founder Vlad Plahotniuc personally congratulated the two young champions and rendered them all the Foundation’s support to continue on this road of the highest level success.  
 
“You are the country’s best ambassadors when you show high achievements. We are very proud, and also other countries see what we do. You have our support and you will have even more support”, said Vlad Plahotniuc.
 
Along with congratulations, as a token of respect for all the work behind the success the Edelweiss’s Executive Director Lidia Cucos has offered prizes on behalf of the Foundation to both champions and their coaches.
“We have prepared for each of you a voucher amounting 50,000 lei and a support for your coaches amounting 25,000 lei. Continue to carry proudly the name of Moldova abroad”.
 
The Olympic gold for any athlete is the highest distinction and reward for hard training and sacrifice. Following the success at the Olympics the two athletes confess that they are motivated to continue and focus on new challenges.
 
“It was very beautiful at the championship, one of the best in my life. I have enjoyed it a lot, and the emotions were huge. Everyone needs support, especially when it comes to athletes and the higher is the result, the greater is the responsibility”, said the young swimmer. 
 
“I succeeded because I’ve worked a lot for this and it was my dream for which I’ve been fighting for seven years. When we are supported, the courage is a bit greater and it’s easier to move on”, said Alexandrin Gutu.
 
Such achievements could not have been achieved without the contribution of the team that works together with the athletes. Although they are not the ones who stood on the podium the coaches have made an important contribution to winning a gold medal. 
“Of course we have hoped for a medal, but you know how it is in sports, it is not mathematics and we thought it would be a medal. We move forward to achieve greater results”. 
 
The team of the Republic of Moldova this year numbered 17 athletes, of whom ten entered the top ten in the disciplines they competed for ranking our country’s team to 38th place among 206 participating states.