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Tag: Rio Olympics 2016

  • A Preview of Romanian participation in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro

    A Preview of Romanian participation in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro

    Starting on Friday, August 5, for three weeks running, the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro will be grabbing sports lovers’ attention. The 31st edition of the Olympics is being attended by more than 10 thousand athletes from 206 countries.



    As an absolute first, participating in the 2016 Rio Olympics is a team of refugees, made up of ten athletes. The most numerous delegations are those of the United States, with 554 athletes, Brazil, with 465 athletes and Germany, with 425 athletes. Representing Romania in Rio is a delegation of 96 athletes and 7 substitutes who will be competing in 15 sporting events.



    According to the US publication ‘Sports Illustrated’, Romania is likely to walk away from Rio with five medals, but none gold. Under the predictions column, the Sports Illustrated columnists wrote that, in terms of medal winners, Romania’s women’s epee team is likely to walk away with silver. Romania is also likely to win another 4 bronze medals: two by gymnast Marian Dragulescu in the floor and vault events, and the other two by judoka Andreea Chitu, in the 52 kilogram category, and by Romania’s women’s handball team, respectively.



    The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee’s set target for the 2016 Olympics is six up to eight medals. The target is apparently unassuming, if we take into account that the eight-medal record at the Bejing Olympics in 2008 was an all-time low for Romania. We recall that at the London Olympics in 2012 Romanian athletes won 9 medals.



    Competitions have already kick-started, even ahead of the official opening ceremony. The first surprise has already occurred in football, since Brazil, with superstar Neymar in the lineup, succeeded a lackluster blank draw against South Africa.

  • July 22, 2016

    July 22, 2016

    The Romanian Defense Minister, Mihnea Motoc, has visited Washington over the past two days, where he participated in the meeting of the countries contributing to the anti-ISIS global coalition headed by the US. He reiterated Romanias support for the international communitys actions meant to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Iraq within its borders acknowledged at international level. This year Romania will contribute a 50-strong contingent to the global coalition that will train and advise the Iraqi security forces. the November 2015 Jihadist attacks in Paris.



    Romania wants to consolidate the Strategic Partnership with the US, said Thursday the Romanian President Klaus Iohannis, at the meeting held in Bucharest with an American delegation made up of 11 members of the House of Representatives. They also talked about the UKs leaving the EU, the latest developments in Turkey, the phenomenon of migration, the situation in Ukraine and the importance of ensuring energy security in the region, a project in which Romania can have a relevant role. The Romanian PM Dacian Cioloş also talked at the Victoria Palace with the American delegation focusing, on the two countries Strategic Partnership. He reiterated Romanias interest in strengthening bilateral cooperation and hailed the results obtained in the field of security and defense following the inauguration and activation of the antimissile defense shield in Deveselu. Furthermore, the Romanian PM reiterated the importance and positive effects in terms of security and economic growth of the likelihood of Romania being included in the Visa Waiver program.



    The Romanian President, Klaus Iohannis, has handed the national flag to gymnast Cătălina Ponor who was designated by the Olympic Committee to bear Romanias flag in the opening ceremony of the Rio Olympics. On the occasion, President Iohannis said that extending the physical education curriculum in schools was an emergency, if Romania wanted to be a strong competitor in international competitions and if we wanted to be a healthy nation. Romanias athletes will participate in 16 sports events at the 31st edition of the Olympic Games to be held in Rio between August 5 and 21. As many as 100 Romanian athletes will go to Rio, most of whom will be competing in the athletic and rowing events.



    The French prosecutors say the author of last weeks attack in Nice had planned the attack for months and benefited from help. They pointed out that the French Tunisian attacker was in permanent contact with other plotters. 5 suspects related to the Nice attack have already appeared before the court. In Nice 84 people, a Romanian citizen included, have lost their lives and over 200 have been wounded. Almost one week after the attack, the situation continues to be tense in France where the existing state of emergency has been extended by six months. The state of emergency was instated after the November 2015 Jihadist attacks in Paris.