Radio România Internațional

Tag: bronze medal

  • August 21, 2023

    August 21, 2023

    Meeting – The Romanian Prime Minister,
    Marcel Ciolacu, is today participating, in Athens, in a working meeting of the
    heads of state and government from South-Eastern Europe and the Western
    Balkans, organized by the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. According
    to a Government communiqué, the talks will focus on the development of regional
    cooperation in South-Eastern Europe, as well as on the challenges posed by the
    developments of the conflict in Ukraine on the states participating in the
    Athens dialogue. The president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen,
    and the president of the European Council, Charles Michel, are attending the
    meeting, along with heads of state and government from the region.

    Ukraine-The Ukrainian President Volodymyr
    Zelensky says he hopes other countries will join Denmark and the Netherlands, countries
    which have decided to supply Kyiv with F-16 fighter jets. The Ukrainian leader
    made the statements at a military air base in Denmark, where he met with the
    Danish Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen. Denmark and the Netherlands will send
    Ukraine 61 F-16s. It was agreed that the planes would be transferred to the
    Ukrainian Air Force in close cooperation with the US and other partners, when
    the conditions for such a transfer are met. Conditions include, but are not
    limited to, successfully selected, tested and trained Ukrainian F-16 personnel
    as well as the necessary authorizations, infrastructure and logistics.
    Ukrainian pilot training will take place in several NATO countries, including
    Romania.




    Athletics-The Romanian athlete Alina
    Rotaru-Kottmann won the bronze medal in the long jump event at the World
    Athletics Championships in Budapest, with 6.88 meters, in the final held on
    Sunday. This is the best performance in her sports career so far. Alina
    Rotaru-Kottmann had already met the entry standards for athletics events at next
    year’s Paris Olympics. Also on Sunday, Andrea Miklos qualified for the
    semi-finals of the 400 m event. The semi-finals take place today. Romania is
    participating with 16 athletes, nine women and seven men, in the World
    Athletics Championships in Budapest. For
    this competition the Romanian Athletics Federation has set the goal of
    qualifying in three finals.




    Baccalaureate – In Romania, the baccalaureate exam
    continues, today, with the written exam in the mother tongue language and
    literature for the national minorities. The first results will be announced on
    August 25, and appeals can be submitted on the same day. The results will be
    published on August 29. 34,000 candidates registered for the autumn session, of
    whom 22,600 finished high school this summer.




    ARC – The ARC Camps Program,
    initiated by the Department for Romanians Everywhere and intended for Romanian
    students and young people everywhere, continues until August 28, in 6 leisure
    centers in Romania. Students and young people from Romania and another 24
    countries of the world participate, including Albania, Austria, the United Arab
    Emirates, Germany, Greece, Italy, Israel, Kazakhstan, the Republic of Moldova,
    Serbia, Spain, Ukraine. ‘We build bridges, build connections and embrace our
    cultural diversity’ this is the message that the Department sends to the
    children and teachers on summer vacation this year in the ARC camps. The camps
    are meant to show Romanian children outside the borders what authentic Romania
    is like. The project aims at facilitating interaction and dialogue between
    young people from historical communities and young people from the Diaspora,
    including through workshops to deepen knowledge of culture, history, geography
    and arts.




    Festival – The George Enescu Festival, the largest classical music
    festival in Romania and one of the most important of its kind in Europe, is
    coming to Timișoara, the European capital of culture in 2023. Great ensembles
    of the world such as Ensemble Intercontemporain, Fine Arts Quartet, Camerata
    Bern, Manchester Camerata and the Romanian Chamber Orchestra will give
    exceptional concerts between September 3 and 20. The first edition of the
    festival was held in 1958. (LS)



  • Athlete of the Week on RRI – Judoka Alex Bologa

    Athlete of the Week on RRI – Judoka Alex Bologa

    One of the most important sporting events right now is the 15th edition of the Paralympic Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is a major competition addressing athletes with disabilities. This year the competition is running over September 7 and 18.



    Representing Romania are a total of 12 athletes in six events. Romania has already scooped a medal in judo. Alex Bologa won the bronze in the 60-kg category last Thursday, after defeating Henry Borges of Uruguay in the bronze final by ippon. In the round of 16, Bologa knocked out Lee Minjae of South Korea, while in the quarterfinals he edged out Mouloud Noura of Algeria, the defending world champion. In the semi-finals Bologa lost to Makoto Hirose of Japan.



    For his remarkable performance in Rio, we have designated Alex Bologa Athlete of the Week on RRI.



    This years edition of the Paralympic Games was the first for 20-year-old Alex Bologa. At the same time he was Romanias first visually impaired representatives in the judo event. He took up judo 6 years ago. He has been training for the Paralympic Games with the Romanian womens national team in Poiana Brasov, central Romania, coached by Geanina Andreica and Tamas Gergely.



    Alex Bologa lost his sight at the age of six, and at present is enrolled in two faculties.



    According to Prosport news agency, Alex Bologas bronze medal in the Rio Paralympic Games has earned him a 15,000-euro award.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • June 5, 2016 UPDATE

    June 5, 2016 UPDATE

    LOCAL ELECTIONS UPDATE – Bucharesters have for the first time elected a woman for the position of mayor: senator Gabriela Vranceanu Firea, a member of the Social Democratic Party, show exit polls issued on Sunday evening, at the closure of polling stations. A former controversial journalist, who joined the Social Democratic Party 4 years ago, Gabriela Vranceanu-Firea, 44, got 41% of the votes, being followed by Nicusor Dan, the leader of the Save Bucharest Union, a former NGO turned into a party, who got 30% and the leader of the National Liberal Party, Catalin Predoiu with 14%. According to the same polls, the Social Democratic Party has claimed at least 5 of the 6 sectors of the capital Bucharest. The Social Democrats and their allies from the National Union for the Progress of Romania obtained about 40% of the votes for Bucharest’s General Council, followed by the Save Bucharest Union whose percentage varies between 19% and 25%, and the Liberals with 19%. The turnout in Bucharest was only 33%, much below the national average of 48%. With almost 70% of the votes, the former PM Emil Boc from the Liberal Party remains the mayor of the biggest city in northwestern Romania, Cluj-Napoca. These local elections took place in one round, the winner being the candidate who got the simple majority of the votes cast. The measure has been criticized by civil society representatives and the media, which claim that, in the context of a low voter turnout, the future mayors will be considered illegitimate.



    IOHANNIS – The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, will pay a visit to Luxembourg on Monday and Tuesday at the invitation of Henri, Grand Duke of Luxembourg. The Romanian official will also meet with the prime minister Xavier Bettel, the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Mars di Bartolomeo, and the foreign minister, Jean Asselborn. The talks will focus on deepening the political and sectoral relations between Romania and Luxembourg, with special emphasis on boosting economic cooperation as well as cooperation in the fields of research, development and industrial innovation. Another issue under debate will be the preparation of the NATO summit to be held in Warsaw, in July. On the occasion of the visit, the two officials will sign the Exchange Program in the fields of science and technology, education, culture and sports between the government of Romania and Luxembourg, valid for the period 2016- 2021.



    MILITARY DRILL – Romanian, American and British soldiers are participating, as of Monday, in the SARMIS-16 multinational drill to be held in Cincu, central Romania. The exercises, which will come to an end on June 18, will be attended by 1,200 soldiers with the Romanian ground forces, 150 British and 200 American soldiers. Aircraft of the Romanian Air Forces will also participate in the military drill.



    FOOTBALL – Romania’s national football team on Sunday reached France where they will participate in the finals of the European Championship. Romania will meet the French eleven on June 10 in Paris, in the opening match. They are playing in a group which also includes Switzerland and Albania. In the last training match held Friday in Bucharest the Romanian footballers defeated the Georgian eleven 5-1. In the previous matches, in Italy the Romanians drew the match with the team of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1-1 and lost to Ukraine 3-4.



    GYMNASYCS – The Romanian gymnast Catalina Ponor on Sunday won 2 bronze medals in the apparatus finals, in the floor and beam events, at the European Gymnastics Championships held in Berne, Switzerland. Ponor, 28, is one of the gymnasts who has obtained the most medals in the history of Romanian gymnastics. She also won 3 gold medals in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games and another 7 continental titles.



    SMURD – 3 of the 4 crew members of the SMURD Romanian emergency rescue service, who died in a helicopter crash in the neighboring Republic of Moldova, were buried with military funeral honors on Sunday, in Iasi (northeastern Romania). The fourth victim was buried with military funeral honors in Bacau (northeastern Romania). Physician Dumea Mihaela, principal medical assistant Sandu Adrian-Gabriel, commander Gavril Ilie Doru and captain-commander Şocae Constantin Voicu were decorated, post mortem, for their professionalism, humaneness and spirit of sacrifice proved in the many rescue missions they participated in. The helicopter crashed during a mission, 20 kms from the Moldovan capital, Chisinau.


    (news translated by Lacramioara Simion)

  • Romania wins the bronze at the Women’s Handball World Championship

    Romania wins the bronze at the Women’s Handball World Championship

    The greatest achievement of the Romanian national womens handball team in the new millennium was the silver at the World Championship in 2005 hosted by Russia. Ten years later, Romania achieved a new success, the bronze medal at this years edition of the World Championship in Denmark. On Sunday, in the match for the third place, Romania won convincingly against Poland, 31:22. Cristina Neagu was Romanias best player throughout the tournament, having scored 63 goals. She was also declared the most valuable player in the entire competition.



    This is what she told a private television station after the game: “I think this is a great achievement for Romanian handball. After ten years we win a new medal at a world championship, even though this time its bronze and not silver like ten years ago. I would like to thank our fans in the stadium, those who cheered for us at home and everyone who has supported us regardless of our results.



    Goalkeeper Paula Ungureanu was another key player in Romanias team, with a series of top-class saves. Winning the bronze with her team is the best achievement in the career of this 35 year-old player.



    Paula Ungureanu: “I have trained for this moment for many, many years. Playing in a final is the dream of any player. I am very proud of everything we have achieved here. We were given little chances in the beginning, but we have demonstrated that we are a real team.



    Romania were very close to playing the final for the world title. In their semi-final match against Norway on Friday, they narrowly lost in overtime 33:35. In the Sunday final, Norway defeated the Netherlands, 31:23.



    Romanias assistant coach Costica Buceschi: “We should have been in the big final. We demonstrated that we deserved it particularly in our group matches, when we showed that we can play a good game, both defence and attack. Had we defeated Norway, I think we would have had a good chance at the gold. But we are happy with what we have achieved. We played well in the match for the third place, the way our team played and how they mobilised was extraordinary, and winning a bronze at a world championship is no mean feat. I think the greatest win for Romania was in terms of confidence. This was our biggest problem because everybody agreed that we had some very good players but we couldnt play like a real team.



    The next goal for the Romanian womens handball team is next years Olympic Games in Rio. Finishing third at the world championship means they have qualified for one of the Olympic test events. Whats more, Romania may even host such an event, which would significantly increase their chances to secure a place at the Olympic Games.


    Romania win the bronze at the Womens Handball World Championship



    Romania hasnt had notable results in team sports in recent years, with the exception of womens handball, in particular in club competitions.



    The greatest achievement of the Romanian national womens handball team in the new millennium was the silver at the World Championship in 2005 hosted by Russia. Ten years later, Romania achieved a new success, the bronze medal at this years edition of the World Championship in Denmark. On Sunday, in the match for the third place, Romania won convincingly against Poland, 31:22. Cristina Neagu was Romanias best player throughout the tournament, having scored 63 goals. She was also declared the most valuable player in the entire competition.



    This is what she told a private television station after the game: “I think this is a great achievement for Romanian handball. After ten years we win a new medal at a world championship, even though this time its bronze and not silver like ten years ago. I would like to thank our fans in the stadium, those who cheered for us at home and everyone who has supported us regardless of our results.



    Goalkeeper Paula Ungureanu was another key player in Romanias team, with a series of top-class saves. Winning the bronze with her team is the best achievement in the career of this 35 year-old player.



    Paula Ungureanu: “I have trained for this moment for many, many years. Playing in a final is the dream of any player. I am very proud of everything we have achieved here. We were given little chances in the beginning, but we have demonstrated that we are a real team.



    Romania were very close to playing the final for the world title. In their semi-final match against Norway on Friday, they narrowly lost in overtime 33:35. In the Sunday final, Norway defeated the Netherlands, 31:23.



    Romanias assistant coach Costica Buceschi: “We should have been in the big final. We demonstrated that we deserved it particularly in our group matches, when we showed that we can play a good game, both defence and attack. Had we defeated Norway, I think we would have had a good chance at the gold. But we are happy with what we have achieved. We played well in the match for the third place, the way our team played and how they mobilised was extraordinary, and winning a bronze at a world championship is no mean feat. I think the greatest win for Romania was in terms of confidence. This was our biggest problem because everybody agreed that we had some very good players but we couldnt play like a real team.



    The next goal for the Romanian womens handball team is next years Olympic Games in Rio. Finishing third at the world championship means they have qualified for one of the Olympic test events. Whats more, Romania may even host such an event, which would significantly increase their chances to secure a place at the Olympic Games.


    (Translated by Cristina Mateescu; Edited by Diana Vijeu)