Several days ago, one of Romania’s best sports
clubs, Dinamo Bucharest, celebrated 75 years of activity. On this occasion, the
club, founded on May 14th 1948, under the auspices of the Romanian
Interior Ministry, celebrated some of its greatest champions, which along the
years won no less than 131 Olympic medals, of which 38 of gold, 44 silver and
49 bronze.
Among those mentioned there was Romania’s
double Olympic champion Leon Rotman, gold medalist in the 1000 and 10,000 meter
canoe races of the Melbourne Olympics in 1956, as well as the latest Olympic
champion rower Ancuţa Bodnar – who got the Olympic gold in Tokyo 2021, together
with Simona Radiş from Steaua Bucharest.
Along the years, Dinamo Bucharest trained numerous
champions such as the late Nicolae Linca, Romania’s only Olympic champion in
boxing, or canoeist Ivan Patzaichin, who won four gold medals in Olympic
contests. The list also includes the great women canoeists, Elisabeta Lipă and Georgeta
Damian Andrunache, who each reaped five gold medals in the Olympics. Dinamo has
also produced great teams which along the years compelled recognition in
various international events. We recall the club’s handball, volleyball and
rugby teams claimed the European Champions Cups and had a great contribution to
Romania’s national sides.
The Club also boasted a famous football side,
which made it to the semifinals of the European Champions Cup in the 1983-1984
football season. Six years later Dinamo made it to the semifinals of the UEFA
Cup Winner’s Cup.
(bill)