According to Agerpres News Agency, at the European Race Walking championships hosted by Podebrady in the Czech Republic, Romanian athlete Marius Iulian Cocioran managed a 12th position in the 50 km race and has thus booked plane tickets to Tokyo Olympics. The Romanian set a new national record of 3 hours 55 minutes and 29 seconds. For his performance in Podebrady, Radio Romania International has designated Cocioran Athlete of the week
Pavel Remus Radoi was the second best Romanian athlete to attend the aforementioned race where he came in 27th in 4 hours, 13 minutes and 35 seconds setting a personal record. Ionut Vasilica Plesu has also registered a personal record in Podebrady after coming 30th in four hours, 26 minutes and 58 seconds. Another Romanian representative, Narcis Mihaila didnt manage to end the race.
Romania came in 6th in the teams contest. In the womens contest, Ana Veronica Rodean came in 13th setting a national record of 2 hours, 59 minutes and 27 seconds. In the 20 kilometer race walking Mihaela Acatrinei came in 39th while Maria Diana Lataretu abandoned the 10 kilometer race.
Marius Cocioran was born in Reşiţa, central Romania on 10th July 1983. He has already participated in two editions of the Olympic Games. He came 36th in the 50 kilometer race walking in London in 2012 and abandoned the race four years later in Rio. He is the sixth Romanian athlete to have qualified for Tokyo after long jumpers Florentina Iuşco and Alina Rotaru, Claudia Bobocea in the 1.500-meter dash, Daniela Stanciu, in the high jump event and discus thrower Alin Firfirică. Romania now boasts 85 athletes qualified for the Olympic Games this year.
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