Cristina Iovu and Anatol Caracu return home

Weightlifters Cristina Iovu and Anatol Caracu, winners of bronze medals at the Olympic Games in London, returned home. They and several other members of the Olympic squad were met with celebrations and fanfare music at the Chisinau Airport by their family members, friends and officials, Info-Prim Neo reports. The athletes and the coaches expressed their gratitude for the support and the trust shown in them. “I’m happy. I’ve walked a long way to this medal. I thank all those who contributed to my training. At the next Olympics, I want only the gold”, declared Cristina Iovu. “I’ve worked without rest days for this medal. I thank everyone and especially my coach”, said Anatol Caracu For their success, both athletes will be rewarded by Prime Minister Vlad Filat with two-roomed apartments. Moreover, under a Government decision, Iovu and Caracu will each receive awards of €80,000. “In two weeks, we’ll start the procedure of awarding these athletes who represented us with dignity. It’s a historical moment. These achievements will further consolidate our society”, declared Minister of Youth and Sport Ion Cebanu. Minister of the Interior Dorin Recean attended the festivity as well and congratulated the medal winners. “Let us hope we’ll witness more performances like these. It’s an exceptional result”, declared Recean. The other Moldovans who returned from the Olympics include 15-year-old archer Dan Olaru, boxer Vasile Belous and athletes Natalia Cerchez and Olesea Cojuhari. In the final days of the tournament in London, Moldova will be represented by athletes Zalina Marghiev (hammer throw), Iaroslav Musinschi and Roman Prodius (marathon) and wrestlers Nicolae Ceban and Svetlana Saenko. Since its first participation in the Olympics in 1996, Moldova won two silver medals and five bronze ones.