What about that time Australia hired a furry artist for the Olympics. Still better art than the ACT centennial hot air balloon.
2021: The Royal Australian Mint puts out a call for artists to submit portfolios of "Japanese style" cartoons, in preparation for a commemorative series of coins and artworks to be released for the Tokyo Olympics.
The campaign would have a cross promotional tie-in with Australia's largest supermarket, Woolworths where 24 million collectables themed on the artworks would be given away.
It wasn't until the final artist was selected that they realised the people at the Royal Australian Mint had somehow mistaken the anthropomorphised animal-humans that seemed popular on the internet for a popular children's cartoon franchise.
“They knew exactly what they wanted," explained the artist, "we worked together to make sure they got what they envisioned, I tailored what I made to their examples/feedback. They just didn’t know there was a word for it, basically, or that it was SO popular.”
Needless to say, when the artworks were released online people immediately called a spade a spade, headlines were made around the world, and the furry community expressed bemused joy that the Australian government had apparently just released an official fursona.
Unfortunately for those innocent soles that had planned the campaign, given they had just minted $24 million worth of furry coins they couldn't exactly scrap the whole thing, and they were forced to just push ahead while doing their best to ignore the large community of internet oddballs salivating at their every move.
Anyway, here's some of the art:
Here's some of the collectable cards given out free to kids by Woolworths:
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Chris Birch
After an academic career at U.C. Riverside and Caltech, Chris Birch became a track cyclist on the U.S. National Team. She was training for the 2020 Olympics when she was chosen as an astronaut candidate. https://go.nasa.gov/49WJKHj
Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!
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A 52-year-old German athlete requested Palestinian citizenship to participate in the Olympic Games under the banner of Palestine in a show of support to the justice of the Palestinian cause.
Christian Zimmermann (born 12 December 1961 in Cologne, Germany) is a German-born Palestinian Olympic dressage rider. He represented Palestine at the 2014 World Equestrian Games in Normandy where he finished 68th in the individual dressage competition with Cinco de Mayo. By doing so, he became the first Palestinian to compete at the World Equestrian Games.
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"Fencing offers a ray of hope to young people living in Nairobi's poorest neighbourhoods.
Despite a lack of equipment, the sword fighting sport is growing in popularity in Kenya.
They cut a striking group as they wander through Huruma in their pristine white outfits.
These young people are heading for their favourite hang-out spot: the Tsavora Fencing club at the local community centre.
The street becomes their arena as they parry and riposte in front of passers-by.
This is not just a hobby for them: it's a force for good in their lives.
Fencing has helped carve a path away from crime, drugs and other social pressures.
"I used to be a gangster," says Mburu Wanyoike, who is now a coach for Kenya's National Fencing team.
"I was in crime and crime makes you feel isolated. It actually puts you in a place where you are isolated, making you feel depressed, having stress and I chose fencing as a way for me to escape out of the hood and escape that lifestyle."
His journey from delinquency to fencing coach and senior athlete in Kenya's national team has been transformative.
Inspired by the personal tragedy of the death of two friends, Wanyoike pursued training and education in South Africa, ultimately founding Tsavora Fencing in 2021.
Tsavora Fencing has made significant strides.
The team has produced 15 talented fencers who have earned spots in the national squad, with plans to represent Kenya in the African Olympic Qualifiers in Algeria this year.
However, challenges persist, particularly regarding the affordability of fencing equipment.
"Sometimes it is tough when it comes to competing with well-equipped international countries that are well organized, so what we do is just to move on with enthusiasm and obsession. The fact that we don't have the equipment, the limited ones we have, we use them. We don't complain that we do not have equipment, we just use what we got and put in the obsession and the enthusiasm and the passion combined, that's what we do, we fence," says Wanyoike.
Tsavora Fencing Mtaani, an initiative under Tsavora Fencing, offers mentorship and training in fencing to the youth of these impoverished neighbourhoods, shielding them from the dangers of their environment.
With 45 members, most of whom are students, the team serves as a beacon of hope in the community.
Participants are required to become disciplined and put on integrity.
"Initially I had bad company at home but now that I am in fencing, it has kept me busy and now it is a better option for me because I feel happy doing it," says Jemimah Njeri, a 17-year-old member of Tsavora Fencing.
"I cannot imagine myself without this sport because it has kept me very busy. In my area many girls have become teenage mothers and that is not a wonderful life," adds 16-year-old Allen Grace...
As Tsavora Fencing continues to thrive, fuelled by the determination of its members and the support of the community, it stands as a testament to the transformative power of sport in, even the most challenging environments."
-via Africanews, April 1, 2024
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