Mural honours Winnipeg speed skaters

A pair of multiple Olympic-medal-winning speed skaters have been immortalizedin a mural in theirformer Winnipeg neighbourhood.

The Beautify Elmwood committee unveiled a mural Tuesday on Henderson Highway in honour of Clara Hughes and Cindy Klassen. Both women are depicted in their moments of glory with medals draped around their necks.

"They're both in that mode— you know, when you're athletes and you dig down reallydeep and you find the spot inside of you that just compels you to do your best… beyond anyone's expectations and even yours, sometimes," said Graffiti Gallery's Mike Valcourt, one of the artists involved in creating the murals.

Community fundraising paid for the $1,500to paint the mural, which the committee says will show off some of the positive aspects of the neighbourhood.

Hughes grew up in Elmwood, while Klassen attended the area's Mennonite Brethren Collegiate.

Klassen became Canada's most decorated Olympian after winning five medals at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy.

She is the first Canadian athlete to win five medals — a gold, two silver and two bronze— in a single Olympics, and the first with six overall.

Hughes set a Canadian record at Turin, becoming the first multiple medallist in both the Summer and Winter Olympics.

Hughes claimed silver in speed skating's team pursuit in Turin, to go with two bronze she won in cycling at the 1996 Atlanta Summer Games and bronze in speed skating from the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games.