Tag: deadlift

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    The European Juniors and Youth Weightlifting Championship have been underway in the Polish locality of Raszyn since late last week. The Romanian athletes have already won many medals, in various categories. However, the best performance occurred in the very first day of the competition.

    For the U-23 women weightlifters, in the 49-kilogram category, Cosmina Pană a walked away with gold in the snatch style, with a deadlift of 73 kilograms. In the clean-and-jerk style, Pana won bronze in the 87-kilogram category. Also bronze went to Cosmina Pana, in the combined category, with a deadlift of 160 kilograms.

    Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Cosmina Pana the Athlete of the week.

    Entering the competition as part of the European Championships in Poland were 449 athletes of 35 countries. The Romanian delegation is made of 15 weightlifters, of whom 6 participate in the men’s version of the competition, while 9 others participate in the women’s version of the championships in Poland.

    The athlete of the week today, Adriana Cosmina Pană, is one of the Romania delegation’s most experienced competitors.

    She was born in Bacau, in 2001 on December 18. At the age of 13, Cosmina was spotted for her qualities by coach George Călin, of Bacau Municipal Sports Club. Cosmina Pana succeeded her first international performances in 2018 at the European Youth Championships in Italy’s San Donato Milanese. In the 44-kilogram category, Pana won bronze in the snatch style and bronze in the clean-and-jerk style and combined.

    In 2019, at the European Juniors’ Championships in Bucharest Cosmina Pana reiterated her performance. In the 45-kilogram category, Cosmina won bronze in the snatch style and silver in the clean and jerk style, also stepping onto the third step of the podium in the combined category. Also in the 45-kilogram category at the World Juniors Championships in Tashkent, in 2021, she won silver in the snatch style, with a deadlift of 84 kilograms.

    In the seniors’ competition, Cosmina Pana won her first European medals in 2023 as part of the European championships held in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan. Cosmina won silver in the snatch style and combined.

  • Olympic update

    Olympic update

    Weightlifter Mihaela Cambei on Wednesday walked away with silver in the 49-kilogram category. Combined, Cambei succeeded a deadlift of 205 kilograms. In the final attempt in the competition, Cambei was outperformed by defending Olympic champion, China’s Zhihui Hou, whose reported combined deadlift stood at 206 kilograms.

    In the snatch style, Cambei had a deadlift of 93 de kilograms succeeding 112 kilograms combined. Winner Zhihui Hou’s 117-kilogram clean-and-jerk deadlift was a new Olympic record. With a combined deadlift of 200 kilograms, Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao walked home with bronze. In the 71-kilogram category, Loredana Toma will prove her mettle on Friday. Romania last won an Olympic weightlifting medal in Atlanta, in 1996, when Nicu Vlad won bronze.

    Cătălin Chirilă on Wednesday advanced to the C1 men’s 1000m final, Chirila won the third heat of the qualifiers, clocking 3 minutes, 44 seconds and 75 hundredths of a second and set a new Olympic record. A world champion in 2022 and a vice-world champion in 2023, Chirila broke a 20-year-old record set by Spain’s David Cal at the Athens Olympics. The semi-finals and the finals are scheduled on Friday.

    In the Olympic discus throw final hosted by Stade de France on Wednesday, the Romanian athlete Alin Alexandru Firfirica came in 11th. His best throw measured 64 meters and 45 centimeters. The winner was Jamaican athlete Roje Stone, with a throw of 70 meters, thus setting a new Olympic record.

    Also in news from athletics, Andrea Miklos wasted the opportunity to advance to the 400m final. In the semifinal she competed in, Miklos ranked 15th, clocking 50 seconds and 78 hundredths of a second, eventually coming in 5th. Romania last won an athletics Olympic medal in athletics in 2008, when Constantina Dita won gold in the marathon.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Romania has yet
    again earned a top position among Europe’s weightlifting elite. In 2022 the
    Romanian athletes were unable to participate in the European Championships held
    in Albanian capital Tirana. We recall the Romanian Weightlifting Federation was
    banned from participating in international competitions because of reported violation
    of anti-doping rules on a number of occasions. In
    2023, the Romanian delegation returned from Yerevan with 14 medals. Nine of the
    medals were gold, being won by Mihaela Cambei, in the 49-kilogram
    category, Andreea Cotruţa, in the 55-kilogram category and Loredana Toma, in
    the 71-kilogram category. Each of
    the athletes won three medals, in the snatch style, in the clean-and-jerk style,
    and combined. Also in the women’s version of the championships, in the 45-kilogram
    category, Cosmina Pană walked away with silvering the snatch style, and
    combined. In the men’s version of the competition, in the 55-kilogram category,
    Valentin Iancu won silver in the clean and jerk style and bronze in the snatch
    style and combined. Cambei and Cotruţa won their medal in the first days of the
    competition, on April 15 and 16. Since Loredana Toma stepped onto a step of the
    podium in Wednesday, Radio Romania International designated her the Athlete of
    the week.


    In Yerevan, Toma dominated the competition in the snatch style, winning
    gold, with a deadlift of 110 kilograms. Silver went to Italy’s Giulia Miserendino with 105 kilograms, while bronze went to Germany’s
    Lisa Marie Schweize, who succeeded a deadlift of 103 kilograms. Loredana also won gold in the clean and jerk
    style, with 130 kilograms. British competitor Sarah
    Davies won silver, with a deadlift of 126 de kilograms, while the Italian Miserendino
    walked home with bronze, with 125 kilograms. Therefore, combined, Loredana Toma
    won gold, with 240 kilograms, being followed by Miserendino, with 230 and Davies, 226 kilograms.


    Loredana Toma was
    born on May 10, 1995 in the northern Romania town of Botosani. Earlier in her career she won several gold
    medals in European juniors and youth championships. Also in European competitions,
    as a senior competitor, in 2013 in 2014, Loredana won silver in the 58-kilogram
    category. Over 2014 and 2016 she was banned from competition, having tested positive
    for stanozolol. Beginning with the European Championships in Croatia, held in
    April 2017, Loredana Toma dominated the 63-kilogram category, in the snatch but
    also in the clean and jerk style. Loredana confirmed her standing at the World
    Championships in Anaheim in December 2017, where she won three more gold medals. At
    the 2018 edition of the European Championships in Bucharest, Loredana also won
    gold. Then in 2019, Loredana won three gold medals at the European Championships
    in Batumi. At the World Championships held in Thailand, also in 2019, Loreana
    Toman won bronze medals in the 64-kilogram category, in the clean-and-jerk
    style, and combined. In 2021, also in the 64-kilogram category, Loredana won
    three gold medals at the European Championships in Moscow. Unfortunately, after
    the International Weightlifting Federation officially
    banned the Romanian Federation from taking part in competition for one year, on
    account of anti-doping rules violation on a number of occasions, Loredana was
    unable to take part in the 2021 edition of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, were she
    ranked as favorite in the 64-kilogram category. Loredana had a vigorous
    comeback in 2022, when she had no problem winning all three medals in the 71-kilogram
    category at the World Championships in Bogota.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Romania has yet
    again earned a top position among Europe’s weightlifting elite. In 2022 the
    Romanian athletes were unable to participate in the European Championships held
    in Albanian capital Tirana. We recall the Romanian Weightlifting Federation was
    banned from participating in international competitions because of reported violation
    of anti-doping rules on a number of occasions. In
    2023, the Romanian delegation returned from Yerevan with 14 medals. Nine of the
    medals were gold, being won by Mihaela Cambei, in the 49-kilogram
    category, Andreea Cotruţa, in the 55-kilogram category and Loredana Toma, in
    the 71-kilogram category. Each of
    the athletes won three medals, in the snatch style, in the clean-and-jerk style,
    and combined. Also in the women’s version of the championships, in the 45-kilogram
    category, Cosmina Pană walked away with silvering the snatch style, and
    combined. In the men’s version of the competition, in the 55-kilogram category,
    Valentin Iancu won silver in the clean and jerk style and bronze in the snatch
    style and combined. Cambei and Cotruţa won their medal in the first days of the
    competition, on April 15 and 16. Since Loredana Toma stepped onto a step of the
    podium in Wednesday, Radio Romania International designated her the Athlete of
    the week.


    In Yerevan, Toma dominated the competition in the snatch style, winning
    gold, with a deadlift of 110 kilograms. Silver went to Italy’s Giulia Miserendino with 105 kilograms, while bronze went to Germany’s
    Lisa Marie Schweize, who succeeded a deadlift of 103 kilograms. Loredana also won gold in the clean and jerk
    style, with 130 kilograms. British competitor Sarah
    Davies won silver, with a deadlift of 126 de kilograms, while the Italian Miserendino
    walked home with bronze, with 125 kilograms. Therefore, combined, Loredana Toma
    won gold, with 240 kilograms, being followed by Miserendino, with 230 and Davies, 226 kilograms.


    Loredana Toma was
    born on May 10, 1995 in the northern Romania town of Botosani. Earlier in her career she won several gold
    medals in European juniors and youth championships. Also in European competitions,
    as a senior competitor, in 2013 in 2014, Loredana won silver in the 58-kilogram
    category. Over 2014 and 2016 she was banned from competition, having tested positive
    for stanozolol. Beginning with the European Championships in Croatia, held in
    April 2017, Loredana Toma dominated the 63-kilogram category, in the snatch but
    also in the clean and jerk style. Loredana confirmed her standing at the World
    Championships in Anaheim in December 2017, where she won three more gold medals. At
    the 2018 edition of the European Championships in Bucharest, Loredana also won
    gold. Then in 2019, Loredana won three gold medals at the European Championships
    in Batumi. At the World Championships held in Thailand, also in 2019, Loreana
    Toman won bronze medals in the 64-kilogram category, in the clean-and-jerk
    style, and combined. In 2021, also in the 64-kilogram category, Loredana won
    three gold medals at the European Championships in Moscow. Unfortunately, after
    the International Weightlifting Federation officially
    banned the Romanian Federation from taking part in competition for one year, on
    account of anti-doping rules violation on a number of occasions, Loredana was
    unable to take part in the 2021 edition of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, were she
    ranked as favorite in the 64-kilogram category. Loredana had a vigorous
    comeback in 2022, when she had no problem winning all three medals in the 71-kilogram
    category at the World Championships in Bogota.

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    We begin with news from weightlifting. As part of the European Weightlifting Championships hosted by Armenias Yerevan, on Wednesday Loredana Toma won all three gold medals of the 71-kilogram category. Loredanas deadlift in the snatch style was 110 kilograms, while in the clean-and-jerk style the Romanian succeeded a deadlift of 130 kilograms. Loredana Tomas combined achievement in the competition stood at 240 kilograms. At the recently-held edition of the European Championships, Romania walked away with 14 medals all told. Apart from Loredana Toma, Mihaela Cambei in the 49-kilogram category and Andreea Cotruţa, in the 55- kilogram category won three gold medals each, Also in the womens version of the competition, Cosmina Pană in the 45-kilogram category won gold in the snatch style and combined. In the mens version of the championships, competing in the 55-kilogram category, Valentin Iancu walked away with silver in the clean-and-jerk style. Iancu won bronze in the snatch style, and combined.



    In news from womens tennis, the Romanian-Japanese pair made of Monica Niculescu and Makoto Ninomiya was unable to go past the womens doubles first round as part of the WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart, an event with almost 700 thousand USD in prize money all told. On Wednesday, Niculescu and Ninomiya sustained a 6-4, 1-6, 10-7 defeat by the pair made of Alexa Guarachi of Chile and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand The vanquished pair was handed a cheque worth 3, 780 euro and were granted one point in the WTA rankings. Also from the tournaments very first round, British competitor Emma Răducanu sustained a 2-6, 1-6 defeat by Latvias Jelena Ostapenko.



    We end with news from womens handball. In a pending game as part of the National Leagues 22nd round, this past Wednesday holders CSM Bucharest grabbed a 35-29 home win against Gloria Bistriţa. CSMs Cristina Neagu scored 12 goals. Also on Wednesday, in a fixture counting towards the 21st round, Rapid Bucharest grabbed a 25-21 win away against SCM Craiova. The win earned Rapid the runner-up position in the rankings. Rapids Sorina Grozav scored 7 goals.



    Later this month, CSM Bucharest and Rapid play their first-leg fixtures as part of the Champions Leagues quarterfinals. On home court, Rapid play the 2022 winner of the Champions League, Vipers Kristiansand, while CSM travel to Denmark, for a game against Team Esbjerg.


  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    We begin with news from weightlifting. As part of the European Weightlifting Championships hosted by Armenias Yerevan, on Wednesday Loredana Toma won all three gold medals of the 71-kilogram category. Loredanas deadlift in the snatch style was 110 kilograms, while in the clean-and-jerk style the Romanian succeeded a deadlift of 130 kilograms. Loredana Tomas combined achievement in the competition stood at 240 kilograms. At the recently-held edition of the European Championships, Romania walked away with 14 medals all told. Apart from Loredana Toma, Mihaela Cambei in the 49-kilogram category and Andreea Cotruţa, in the 55- kilogram category won three gold medals each, Also in the womens version of the competition, Cosmina Pană in the 45-kilogram category won gold in the snatch style and combined. In the mens version of the championships, competing in the 55-kilogram category, Valentin Iancu walked away with silver in the clean-and-jerk style. Iancu won bronze in the snatch style, and combined.



    In news from womens tennis, the Romanian-Japanese pair made of Monica Niculescu and Makoto Ninomiya was unable to go past the womens doubles first round as part of the WTA 500 tournament in Stuttgart, an event with almost 700 thousand USD in prize money all told. On Wednesday, Niculescu and Ninomiya sustained a 6-4, 1-6, 10-7 defeat by the pair made of Alexa Guarachi of Chile and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand The vanquished pair was handed a cheque worth 3, 780 euro and were granted one point in the WTA rankings. Also from the tournaments very first round, British competitor Emma Răducanu sustained a 2-6, 1-6 defeat by Latvias Jelena Ostapenko.



    We end with news from womens handball. In a pending game as part of the National Leagues 22nd round, this past Wednesday holders CSM Bucharest grabbed a 35-29 home win against Gloria Bistriţa. CSMs Cristina Neagu scored 12 goals. Also on Wednesday, in a fixture counting towards the 21st round, Rapid Bucharest grabbed a 25-21 win away against SCM Craiova. The win earned Rapid the runner-up position in the rankings. Rapids Sorina Grozav scored 7 goals.



    Later this month, CSM Bucharest and Rapid play their first-leg fixtures as part of the Champions Leagues quarterfinals. On home court, Rapid play the 2022 winner of the Champions League, Vipers Kristiansand, while CSM travel to Denmark, for a game against Team Esbjerg.


  • The 2022 Sports year, in retrospect (II)

    The 2022 Sports year, in retrospect (II)

    In July 2022, the headline-hitting event of
    the month was the Wimbledon tennis tournament, the year’s third Grand Slam
    competition, which confirmed that Simona Halep still is Romania’s top-flight
    tennis player of all time, Halep was the only Romanian to have reached as far
    as the semifinals, given that Romania had seven tennis players on the main
    draw. However, Halep conceded defeat to Kazakhstan’s Yelena Rybakina.


    Concurrently, the Romanian delegation
    walked away with no les than nine medals in the European Juniors’ Swimming Championships
    held in Otopnei, nearby Bucharest, of which five were gold. The medals went to
    the men’s 4 by 100m relay team, to David
    Popovici in the 50, 100, 200m freestyle events and to Vlad Ștefan Stancu, who
    came in first in the 1.500m freestyle event.


    Also in July at the
    World Fencing Championship in Cairo, Iulian Teodosiu a won bronze in the
    individual sabre event.


    Late in July, tennis
    player Ana Bogdan played her first WTA tournament final in Warsaw, sustaining a
    defeat by Caroline Garcia.


    August 2022 was also eventful in terms of
    top-flight performances, At the World Kayak-canoe Championships in Canada, in
    the 1000m men’s singles Olympic race Cătălin Chirilă won the world title and
    walked home with the solver medal in the 500m race.


    At the European Swimming Championships in Rome,
    in the 100m event David Popovici clocked 46 seconds and 86 hundredths. Popovici
    broke the world record held by the Brazilian Cesar Cielo Filho, who also in
    Rome, this time at the World Championships in 2009, clocked 46 seconds and 91
    hundredths. We recall that back then the special speed-enhancing swimsuits were
    still officially allowed. Popovici was a whisker away from repeating his performance
    in the 200m European final. The 200m race defending champion David Popovici claimed
    the title in style, clocking one minute, 47 seconds and 97 hundredths, the new Juniors’
    European and world record, as well as the record of the competition.


    Also in August, the European multi-discipline
    sports championships were held in Munich. In athletics, Bianca Ghelber won gold in the hammer-throw
    event, with a throw of 72 de meters and 72 de centimetres. Also in Munich, rower
    Cătălin Chirilă won gold in the 1,000m men’s singles race and silver in the
    500m race.


    In table tennis, Bernadette
    Szőcs won gold in the women’s doubles, jointly with Austria’s Sofia Polkonova,
    din Austria, and silver, in the mixed doubles event, jointly with Ovidiu
    Ionescu.


    At the World Juniors’ Swimming
    Championships held in Lima, in September, Romanbia came in 4th in
    the nations’ competition. The Romanian delegation won two gold and two silver medals. Three times did David
    Popovici climb onto the first step of the podium, in the 100m freestyle in the
    200m race and in the 4 by 100 freestyle relay event.


    In tennis, in a Davis Cupo
    confrontation, Romania sustained a 1-3 defeat by Slovakia in the World group’s
    first round.

    Rowing again provided the best results for Romania. At the World Rowing
    Championships in Racice, the Czech Republic. Romania came in 3rd in
    the nations’ competitions, while Great Britain and Italy were top of the table
    and the runner-up team, respectively. Stepping onto the highest step of the
    podium was Ionela Cozmiuc in the women’s lightweight event. Also 1st
    placed was the men’s double scull crew made of Marius
    Cozmiuc and Sergiu Bejan. The gold medal also went to the women’s lightweight pair
    crew made of Ancuța Bodnar and Simona Radiș and the women’s coxed eight crew.


    A notable WTA 250 tennis tournament was held in Cluj Napoca. It was
    the year’s leading professional competition hosted by Romania. Russia’ s Ana
    Blinkova emerged as winner, having outclassed Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in the
    final, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.


    At the European Under-23 and Juniors’ Weightlifting Championships in
    Albania, Romania won 30 de medals, of which 7 were gold, 13 silver and 10 bronze.
    In the Under-23 category, gold went to 55-kilogram category competitor Valentin
    Iancu, in the snatch and clean-and-jerk styles and in the combined total. In
    the juniors’ event, 49-kilogram category competitor Mihaela Cambei also won
    gold, in the snatch and clean-and-jerk styles and in the combined total. In
    Also in the Juniors’ competition, 45-kilogram competitor Cosmin Isofache won
    gold, in the combined total.


    At the European Women’s Handball Championships, jointly hosted by Slovenia,
    Montenegro and North Macedonia, Romania came in 12th, the same as in
    the championship’s previous edition, hosted by Denmark in 2020. Inside-left Romanian
    handballer Cristina Neagu was included in the tournament All-Stars team. Ahead
    of the 2023 edition of the World Cup Romania’s national rugby team played three
    test-matches in Bucharest, defeating Chile, 30-23, then losing to Uruguay, 16 – 21, and Samoa, nil-22.


    At the World Weightlifting championship held in
    Bogota, Colombia, in December, 71-kilogram-category competitor Loredana Toma won
    gold in the snatch style and in the combined total. Toma performed a deadlift
    of 119 kilograms in the snatch style, which is the category’s new world record. Also
    in December, as part of the World Short-course Swimming Championships in Melbourne,
    David Popovici won silver in the 200m freestyle event,
    In the 10m freestyle even, Popovici came in 4th and set a new World Juniors’
    record. (EN)

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Two members of the Romanian delegation competing in the World
    Weightlifting Championships, underway in Bogota, Colombia, on Monday walked away with two
    more medals for the Romania delegation. Loredana Toma won gold in the combined
    total and in the snatch style, in the 71-kilogram category. In the snatch style, Loredana Toma performed a deadlift of 119 kilograms, setting the category’s new
    world record. For her noteworthy feat, Radio Romania
    International designated Loredana Toma the Athlete of the week.


    Loredana’s set target for the competition in Bogota
    was the winning of a gold medal. A many-time awardee in World and European championships,
    Loredana Toma was designated the Best Athlete of the year in 2021 by the European
    Weightlifting Federation. Loredana counted as the favorite athlete in the
    71-kilogram category, a recently-introduced category in Olympic competitions,
    between the 64 and the 76-kilogram category. Notwithstanding, expectations were
    not so high regarding her performance in the snatch style. In the clean-and-jerk style, Loredana Toma came in 4th, with a deadlift of 137
    kilograms. In the combined total, Loredana Toma came in 1st,
    with 256 kilograms. With 253 kilograms, China’s Tiantian Zeng came in 2nd,
    while Angie Palacios of Ecuador came in 3rd, with 252 kilograms. All
    told, the Romanian delegation’s medal tally in Bogota in made of three medals, namely,
    the two medals won by Loredana Toma and the silver medal won by Mihaela Cambei in the snatch style, in the 49-kilogram
    category.


    Loredana
    Toma was born on May 10, 1995, in the northern Romanian town of Botosani. In
    the early days of her career, Loredana won several gold medals in Juniors and
    Youth European competitions. In seniors’ competitions, in 2013 and 2014, Loredana
    Toma won silver in the 58-kilogram category. Between 2014 and 2016, Loredana
    was banned from competition, having tested positive for stanozolol. Beginning with
    the European championships in Croatia as of April 2017, Loredana Toma has
    dominated the 63-kilogream category, in the snatch as well as in the clean-and-jerk
    style. She confirmed her standing in the World Championships in Anaheim, the
    USA, in December 2017, winning three more gold medals. In the European Championships
    held in Bucharest in 2018, Loredana Toma yet again won all medals up for grabs. In
    2019, at the European Championships in Batumi, Loredana Toma won three gold
    medals. In the 64-kilogram category Loredana Toma won two bronze medals, in the
    clean-and-jerk style and in the combined total, as part of the World Championships
    in Thailand in 2019. Also in the 64-kilogram category, at the European
    Championships in Moscow, in 2021, Loredana won three gold medals. The International
    Weightlifting Federation imposed a one-year ban on the Romanian Federation, on account
    of Romanian athletes’ violating the anti-doping regulations on a number of
    occasions. Therefore, Loredana Toma could not participate in the 2021 edition
    of the Tokyo Olympics, where she was a top-seed athlete in the 64-kilogram category.(EN)


  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Two members of the Romanian delegation competing in the World
    Weightlifting Championships, underway in Bogota, Colombia, on Monday walked away with two
    more medals for the Romania delegation. Loredana Toma won gold in the combined
    total and in the snatch style, in the 71-kilogram category. In the snatch style, Loredana Toma performed a deadlift of 119 kilograms, setting the category’s new
    world record. For her noteworthy feat, Radio Romania
    International designated Loredana Toma the Athlete of the week.


    Loredana’s set target for the competition in Bogota
    was the winning of a gold medal. A many-time awardee in World and European championships,
    Loredana Toma was designated the Best Athlete of the year in 2021 by the European
    Weightlifting Federation. Loredana counted as the favorite athlete in the
    71-kilogram category, a recently-introduced category in Olympic competitions,
    between the 64 and the 76-kilogram category. Notwithstanding, expectations were
    not so high regarding her performance in the snatch style. In the clean-and-jerk style, Loredana Toma came in 4th, with a deadlift of 137
    kilograms. In the combined total, Loredana Toma came in 1st,
    with 256 kilograms. With 253 kilograms, China’s Tiantian Zeng came in 2nd,
    while Angie Palacios of Ecuador came in 3rd, with 252 kilograms. All
    told, the Romanian delegation’s medal tally in Bogota in made of three medals, namely,
    the two medals won by Loredana Toma and the silver medal won by Mihaela Cambei in the snatch style, in the 49-kilogram
    category.


    Loredana
    Toma was born on May 10, 1995, in the northern Romanian town of Botosani. In
    the early days of her career, Loredana won several gold medals in Juniors and
    Youth European competitions. In seniors’ competitions, in 2013 and 2014, Loredana
    Toma won silver in the 58-kilogram category. Between 2014 and 2016, Loredana
    was banned from competition, having tested positive for stanozolol. Beginning with
    the European championships in Croatia as of April 2017, Loredana Toma has
    dominated the 63-kilogream category, in the snatch as well as in the clean-and-jerk
    style. She confirmed her standing in the World Championships in Anaheim, the
    USA, in December 2017, winning three more gold medals. In the European Championships
    held in Bucharest in 2018, Loredana Toma yet again won all medals up for grabs. In
    2019, at the European Championships in Batumi, Loredana Toma won three gold
    medals. In the 64-kilogram category Loredana Toma won two bronze medals, in the
    clean-and-jerk style and in the combined total, as part of the World Championships
    in Thailand in 2019. Also in the 64-kilogram category, at the European
    Championships in Moscow, in 2021, Loredana won three gold medals. The International
    Weightlifting Federation imposed a one-year ban on the Romanian Federation, on account
    of Romanian athletes’ violating the anti-doping regulations on a number of
    occasions. Therefore, Loredana Toma could not participate in the 2021 edition
    of the Tokyo Olympics, where she was a top-seed athlete in the 64-kilogram category.(EN)


  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week




    The Romanian women weightlifters’
    performance for quite some time now has seen an upward trend. Among the
    weightlifters that have recently confirmed their status there is Loredana Toma,
    who last week walked away with three gold medals at the European Championships in
    Moscow. In the 64-kilogram category, Toma won gold in the snatch style, with a
    deadlift of 114 kilograms, a new European record. We recall Loredana Toma also set
    the previous performance, with a deadlift of 113 kilograms, on January 29, 2020
    in Rome. Back then the British weightlifter Sarah Davies won silver, with 101
    kilograms, while Russia’s Anastassya Anzorova walked home with bronze, with a
    deadlift of 100 kilograms. Loredana then won silver in the clean and jerk style, with a deadlift of 130 kilograms. Loredana Toma had a failed attempt at 137
    kilograms. Had she succeeded, Toma would have set a new European record. Davies was the runner-up
    weightlifter, with 129 kilograms, while Anzorova came in 3rd, with 122
    kilograms. So Loredana Toma emerged as winner overall, with 244 kilograms. We
    recall that overall, Loredana is the European record holder, with 249
    kilograms. The silver medal went to Sarah Davies, with 230 kilograms, while
    bronze went to Anzorova, with 222 kilograms. Reason enough for Radio Romania International to
    designate Loredana the Athlete of the week.


    In Moscow, Loredana Toma was designated the European Championship’s best weightlifter. According to the
    Sinclair rankings compiled by the European Weightlifting Federation, Loredana
    Toma came at the top of the table, with 317.1 points. Loredana’s challenger in
    the 64-kilogram category, British weightlifter Sarah Davies, was the runner-up
    competitor, with 299.4 points. Ukraine’s Kamila Konotop, in the 55-kilogram
    category, was 3rd-placed, with 298 points. Another Romanian, four-time
    European champion in the 49-kilogram category, Monica Csengeri, came in fourth,
    with 295.8 points.


    Loredana Toma was born on
    May 10, 1995, in the northern Romanian town of Botoşani. Loredana is a
    many-time winner of European U-21 and youth championships. In the senior’s
    version of European competitions, in 2013 and 2014, Loredana Toma walked away
    with silver in the 58-kilogram category. Over 2014 and 2016 Loredana was banned
    from competition since she tested positive for Stanozolol. Loredana Toma has
    been dominating the 63-kilogram category, the snatch as well as the clean and
    jerk style competitions, since the European championships held in Croatia in
    April 2017. In December 2017 at the World championships in Anaheim, the USA,
    Loredana Toma reconfirmed her status since she walked home with three other
    gold medals. At the European championships in Bucharest in 2018, Loredana Toma won
    a string of medals. In 2019, at the European championships in Batumi, Loredana was a three-time
    gold medalist. At the world championships in Thailand, also in 2019, Loredana
    won two bronze medals in the 64-kilogram category, in the clean and jerk style
    and overall.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week




    The Romanian women weightlifters’
    performance for quite some time now has seen an upward trend. Among the
    weightlifters that have recently confirmed their status there is Loredana Toma,
    who last week walked away with three gold medals at the European Championships in
    Moscow. In the 64-kilogram category, Toma won gold in the snatch style, with a
    deadlift of 114 kilograms, a new European record. We recall Loredana Toma also set
    the previous performance, with a deadlift of 113 kilograms, on January 29, 2020
    in Rome. Back then the British weightlifter Sarah Davies won silver, with 101
    kilograms, while Russia’s Anastassya Anzorova walked home with bronze, with a
    deadlift of 100 kilograms. Loredana then won silver in the clean and jerk style, with a deadlift of 130 kilograms. Loredana Toma had a failed attempt at 137
    kilograms. Had she succeeded, Toma would have set a new European record. Davies was the runner-up
    weightlifter, with 129 kilograms, while Anzorova came in 3rd, with 122
    kilograms. So Loredana Toma emerged as winner overall, with 244 kilograms. We
    recall that overall, Loredana is the European record holder, with 249
    kilograms. The silver medal went to Sarah Davies, with 230 kilograms, while
    bronze went to Anzorova, with 222 kilograms. Reason enough for Radio Romania International to
    designate Loredana the Athlete of the week.


    In Moscow, Loredana Toma was designated the European Championship’s best weightlifter. According to the
    Sinclair rankings compiled by the European Weightlifting Federation, Loredana
    Toma came at the top of the table, with 317.1 points. Loredana’s challenger in
    the 64-kilogram category, British weightlifter Sarah Davies, was the runner-up
    competitor, with 299.4 points. Ukraine’s Kamila Konotop, in the 55-kilogram
    category, was 3rd-placed, with 298 points. Another Romanian, four-time
    European champion in the 49-kilogram category, Monica Csengeri, came in fourth,
    with 295.8 points.


    Loredana Toma was born on
    May 10, 1995, in the northern Romanian town of Botoşani. Loredana is a
    many-time winner of European U-21 and youth championships. In the senior’s
    version of European competitions, in 2013 and 2014, Loredana Toma walked away
    with silver in the 58-kilogram category. Over 2014 and 2016 Loredana was banned
    from competition since she tested positive for Stanozolol. Loredana Toma has
    been dominating the 63-kilogram category, the snatch as well as the clean and
    jerk style competitions, since the European championships held in Croatia in
    April 2017. In December 2017 at the World championships in Anaheim, the USA,
    Loredana Toma reconfirmed her status since she walked home with three other
    gold medals. At the European championships in Bucharest in 2018, Loredana Toma won
    a string of medals. In 2019, at the European championships in Batumi, Loredana was a three-time
    gold medalist. At the world championships in Thailand, also in 2019, Loredana
    won two bronze medals in the 64-kilogram category, in the clean and jerk style
    and overall.