Nafi Thiam gets statue from (19,000) LEGO blocks in Brussels Central as an explanation for World Girl’s Day
In honor of World Girl’s Day, LEGO displayed a life-size statue of Nafi Thiam (28) in Brussels Central station on Tuesday. The two-time Olympic, world and European heptathlon champion is an ambassador for Lego’s ‘Get Ready for Girls’ campaign and will grace the ticket hall.
“No fewer than 9 out of 10 statues in Belgium are effigies of men,” it sounds in a press release from Lego. “On World Girls’ Day, on Tuesday 11 October, LEGO will make a statement in Brussels Central. They include a life-size statue of a woman, Nafi Thiam, which adorns the ticket hall.”
“Our Belgian pride and top athlete Nafi Thiam is the ideal LEGO ambassador for the Get ready for Girls campaign. The young all-around star won two Olympic golds in heptathlon (in 2016 and 2022), became two world champions (2017 and 2022) and two European champions (2018 and 2022). The sympathetic and hardworking athlete inspires girls in Belgium and far beyond.”
Thiam: “Showing that young girls also have a place in sport”
“The position of women in sports has improved greatly in recent years, but there is still no room for improvement,” says Nafi Thiam. “I am honored to be an ambassador for this campaign. I hope through this role to inspire young girls and show them that they too have a place in the sport. Not only as athletes, but also in decision-making functions. I want them to know their tribe will do.”
enjoy Thiam on a well-deserved holiday, but during her training the Liège already saw the statue. “It was really crazy to meet the LEGO version of myself. I was really impressed! All the details are just right. Respect for the designers who have worked meticulously for hours on this, I think this is also top sport of the highest level.”
In total, the statue of Thiam took 110 hours to build. 19,000 blocks were used and the statue 54 kilograms.