Radio România Internațional

Category: Athlete of the week

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Romanian fencers throughout the years scooped 17 medals. The first Romanian athlete to have stepped onto a step of the Olympic podium was Olga Orbán Szabó. In Melbourne, in 1956, Olga won silver in women’s individual foil event. In Tokyo, in 2021, Ana Maria Branza won also silver, this time in the epee event. The record includes 15 other medals, of which four gold.

    The first gold medallist was Ionel Dramba in Ciudad de Mexico, in 1968, in the foil event. Then there was Laura Badea, in Atlanta, in 1996, also in the foil event. Then there were Mihai Covaliu, in Atlanta, in 2000, the sabre event and the women’s epee team in Rio, in 2016.

    In recent years, the seniors’ record was rather lackluster. However, a new generation comes from behind. Recently, at the European Fencing Championships for juniors and cadets in Turkey’s Antalya, Romania has won five medals. In the juniors’ event, the Romanian saber team made of Rosemarie Benciu, Amalia Covaliu, Catinca Dumitru and Anastasia Fusea stepped onto the highest step of the podium.

    In the men’s saber event, Vlad Covaliu won silver. Also silver went to Emma Sont, in the women’s epee event. In the cadets’ competition, Amalia Covaliu won silver in the sabre event, while Natalia Constantin walked away with bronze in the epee event.

    Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Amalia Covaliu the Athlete of the week, since she was the Romanian lineup’s only fencer to have won two medals.

    Amalia Covaliu is the daughter of Olympic champion Mihai Covaliu, the current president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee. She was born on March 25th, 2008. As part of the first European cadets’ championship of her career, hosted by Estonia’s Tallinn, Amalia succeeded her first major performance, walking away with silver. In the final, Amalia Covaliu conceded defeat to Hungarian challenger Emese Domokos, 10-15. In Turkey, in 2025, Amalia again reached as far as the final, sustaining yet another defeat by Italy’s Francesca Lentini, 15-11.

    In the juniors’ team final held in France, Amalia Covaliu was the first one to step on the plank where she was outclassed by Rita Robineaux, 5-3. Amalia’s colleagues Catinca Dumitru and Anastasia Fusea were also overpowered, so France had the upper hand, securing a 20-14 advantage. Amalia Covaliu returned and gave the signal for the team’s vigorous comeback.

    After three more assaults, Romania had the advantage. Until the end, the Romanians won every assault. The last fencer on the plank was Amalia Covaliu, who also set the final score: 45 to 37 for Romania.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Romanian women’s handball team CSM Bucharest, in 2025 as well, have succeeded to go past the Champions League’s group phase. It has been a while since CSM Bucharest have secured the 3rd position in the competition’s Group A, also succeeding to advance to the quarterfinals’ playoffs.

    CSM had a rather unassuming start in the ongoing season, so they sadly lost a number of precious points which denied them the opportunity to fight for one of the first two positions in the rankings. That could have secured them their ticket for the quarterfinals.

    Gaining access to the competition’s quarterfinals were Metz Handball of France and Ferencváros Budapest, the teams that won their double-legged ties against CSM Bucharest. Notwithstanding, in the wake of their last defeat by French holders Metz Handball on January 12, CSM Bucharest have had a win-all record.

    CSM’s most recent win was the one they succeeded this past weekend, when they trounced Norway’s vice champions Storhamar, 32-21, away, one more time proving they were a truly top-notch team. CSM Bucharest’s most efficient scorer was Crina Pintea, with ten goals on her record sheet.

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

    Crina Pintea was born on April 3rd, 1990, in eastern Romania’s Bacau County. At the age of 20, Crina made her debut as a senior player with Handball Club Zalău, with then head-coach Gheorghe Tadici at the helm. In 2015, with Handball Club Zalau, Crina Pintea reached as far as the EHF Cup’s final, also playing the EHF Cup’s semifinals in 2016.

    In 2015, Crina Pintea began talks with HCM Baia Mare, and that is why Gheorghe Tadici excluded her from the team. Crina Pintea was then signed up by German side Thüringer, the team with which she also won the Bundesliga in 2016. In 2017 she played for the French team Issy Paris Hand, later known as Paris 92. For 2017 – 2018 competition season, Crina Pintea was designated the best pivot of the French domestic women’s handball championship. Later on, Crina’s contract with Paris 92 was taken over by the Hungarian side Gyor.

    We recall in 2019, with Gyor, Crina Pintea won the Champions League. Crina Pintea then had a short stint with CSM Bucharest, returning to Gyor afterwards, for one single competition season. She has been playing for CSM Bucharest since 2022. With the national team, Crina made her debut in 2012. In 2015, with the national team, Crina Pintea won bronze at the World Championship in Denmark. Notwithstanding, in 2024, Crina Pintea made public her retirement from the national team.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    The European figure skating Championships have recently drawn to a close in Estonia’s Tallinn. Four skaters represented Romania. In the women’s singles event, taking the start were Julia Sauter and Ana Sofia Beşchea, while in the dance event, there were Emilia Ziobrowska and Shiloh Judd. Julia Sauter had the best performance coming in 7th. Julia’s performance was the best Romanian result of all time in a European figure skating championship.

    Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Julia Sauter the Athlete of the week.

    Julia Sauter was born in Weingarten, in Germany’s Baden–Württemberg Land, on June 18, 1997. She has been signed up by Corona Brasov in Brasov. As a junior, Julia competed for Germany. As part of her first participation in a seniors’ European competition, in Stockholm, in 2015, Julia Sauter came in 35th.

    In Bratislava, in 2016, Julia came in 27th, then in Ostrava, in 2017, Julia came in 25th. In 2019, in Minsk, a she went past the short-program phase, coming in 14th after the free program. Julia Sauter saw a steady competitional progress one year after the next, so much so that, at present, she is that close to the competitors claiming a position onto the European podium.

    In Tallinn, after the short program, she came in 8th. In the free program, Julia Sauter got the tenth best mark in the competition. Eventually, the total earned her the 7th position. We recall that in Lithuania, in 2024, Julia came in 9th.

    Julia Sauter’s immediate stated aim is a very good performance in the World Championships scheduled in Boston, the United States, in March 2025. Obtaining a position among the world’s best 24 skaters, after the short program, could secure Julia a place among the skaters vying for a medal, also enabling her to meet the technical criteria for the participation in the Olympic Games scheduled in Italy, in 2026.

    According to regulations, in order to compete for Romania, Julia will have to be granted Romanian citizenship. Julia Sauter has said that, for her, being granted the citizenship is still an ongoing process.

  • The Athlete of the Week

    The Athlete of the Week

    Romanian football champions FCSB are having an excellent run in the Europa League. Out of the seven matches played so far in the competition’s main group, the Bucharest side have four wins, two draws and one defeat. Ahead of their final match in this stage of the competition, FCSB are now in 8th place. If they maintain this position after their final match, which they will be playing on Thursday at home against Manchester United, the Romanian champions will qualify straight for the round of last 16.

    In their latest match in European competitions, FCSB defeated the champions of Azerbaijan, Qarabağ, 3-2. Without their captain Darius Olaru, who missed the match due to an injury, midfielder Adrian Şut took over the captain badge, doing an excellent job. He also scored two of his team’s goals, playing a decisive contribution to their win, which is why Radio Romania International has chosen his the athlete of the week this week.

    In Baku, the Azeri side opened the scoreline 57 seconds into the match. 7 minutes later, following a corner kick and a cross pass from Florin Tănase, Adrian Şut scored a header to bring his team to 1-all. Both sides went on to score one more goal by half-time. In the second half, 73 minutes into the match, following another corner kick from Florin Tănase, Şut scored yet another header to win FCSB the match.

    Adrian Şut was born on 30th April 1999 in Cociuba Mare, in Bihor county, in the west. He made his debut as a junior with the local side and then joined Liberty Salonta, also from Bihor. He then got transferred to ASA Târgu Mureş, where, aged 17, he made his First League match debut against Viitorul Constanţa. He joined FCSB in 2019, who lent him, in his first season under contract, to Academica Clinceni. He first played for FCSB in 2020, in a  Europa League qualifying match against Slovan Liberec, which FCSB lost. Şut made his national side debut on 22 March 2024, in a friendly against Northern Ireland, replacing Răzvan Marin. He was then part of the team that represented Romania at the European Championship hosted by Germany, but didn’t get to actually play.

  • Athlete of the Week

    Athlete of the Week

    A new edition of the Dakar Rally came to an end in Saudi Arabia and Romania has made its presence felt in the competition this year as well. In the car race, the Romanian carmaker, Dacia, came fourth with driver Nasser Al-Attiyah at the steering wheel. The Qatari driver was pleased with the Dacia Sandrider, which enabled him to win a leg in the prestigious competition.

    At his 15th participation in the motorcycle section, biker Emanuel Gyenes came 20th in the ranking. He has again compelled recognition in the Original by Motul, section where participants compete without technical assistance and for his remarkable performance Radio Romania International has designated him Athlete of the Week.

    Emanuel Gyenes rode a KTM motorcycle during the competition and slept in a tent while temperature dropped under 10 Celsius at night. He would wake at 4 in the morning have breakfast and get his bike ready for the race. In the all-out ranking he came 20th, five hours, 16 minutes and 50 seconds after the winner, Daniel Sanders of Australia.

    In the Original by Motul category, before the last leg, the Romanian came one minute after Benjamin Melot of France. He managed an exceptional performance during the final race though and has added a second title after the one he secured five years ago.

    Emanuel Gyenes was born in Satu Mare, northern Romania on March 3rd 1984. He made his debut in the 2007 Dakar Rally, when he came 47th. He secured his best performance in the 2016 edition, when he ranked the 14th, which was also the best performance of a Romanian in the aforementioned race.

    After his performance in Saudi Arabia, he told the journalists in Bucharest that he would like to compete in the car section of the prestigious competition in the future.

    (bill)

  • Athlete of the Week

    Athlete of the Week

    Upon the European Championship, which ended the year 2024 for women’s handball, the inter-club competitions have again grabbed the limelight.

    The Champions League saw its ninth leg and the EHF European League kicked off with its groups phase.

    Today we are going to talk about the only Romanian success registered in the past weekend in the Champions League, which belonged to Gloria Bistrita Nasaud. On Saturday, the Romanians clinched their third win in the present edition of the aforementioned competition, where our handballers had just made their debut. Coach Florentin Pera’s trainees clinched a 31 – 28 home win against the Norwegians from Storhamar, a side which defeated them twice last year;  the first time  in the finals of the EHF European League, in Austria in May, and also on Storhamar’s own ground in October, when they got a 25-23 win.

    The Norwegians were also close to victory in Bistrita as well, as they were leading the game 15-13 before the break. However, Gloria managed an excellent second half and secured the victory in the end of the game.

    Spanish player Danila So Delgado Pinto was Gloria’s most effective scorer with 7 goals scored. Left wing Sonia Serafinceanu also managed six goals at the end of her best game in the Champions League this season. And for this reason, Radio Romania International has designated her Athlete of the Week.

    Sonia Mariana Serafinceanu was born in Hunedoara, on July 25th 1997 and took up handball at the local school sports club. She made her debut in the national league with local side Muresul and played for various top-tier sides, such as Cetate Deva, Universitatea Cluj, CSM Slatina and Minaur Baia Mare.

    She has been playing for Gloria since 2021. Sonia made her debut with Romania’s national side in 2029 at the 51st edition of the Carpathians Trophy, held in Brăila. She was part of the national lineup at the last year’s edition of the European Championship. After a lackluster play against Czechia, she scored 6 goals against Montenegro, 7 against Serbia and 3 against France. She didn’t play against Sweden but joined the Romanian lineup in the match against Hungary, where she scored 5 times.

    (bill)

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Football competitions in Scotland are among the world’s oldest such events. The Scottish League Cup made its debut during the 1873-1874 season. The Scottish championship’s inaugural edition was held in 1891, so tradition is reason enough for such competitions to enjoy world-level prestige, despite the fact that not all the teams vying for titles are top-flight squads.

    Scotland also has a third top-notch competition, The Scottish League Cup, the world’s oldest League Cup. Its inaugural edition was held in the 1946-1947 season. In 2024, in the Scottish League Cup final, a Romanian was on the pitch, Ianis Hagi, currently signed up by Glasgow Rangers. Rangers lost after the penalty shootout in their game against the other Glasgow team, Celtic.

    For his good run in the Rangers-Celtic final, Radio Romania International designated Ianis Hagi the Athlete of the week.

    For Glasgow Rangers, Ianis Hagi was on the pitch all throughout the game, in the 90-minute regular time and in extra time. Glasgow drew first blood late into the first half, Celtic scored twice, securing a 2-1 advantage. Rangers levelled the score but Celtic scored again. The fate of the game was sealed by Rangers’ goal on 88 minutes; the final score after 90 minutes was 3-all.

    Extra time did not bring any change so the penalty shootout followed. Celtic won, 5-4. Ianis Hagi was among Rangers’ scorers.

    Our top-notch footballer is the son of Gheorghe Hagi, one of Romania’s greatest footballers of all time. Ianis Hagi was born on October 22, 1998 in Turkey, at the time when his father played for Galatasaray. He took up football with the Gheorghe Hagi Academy in Ovidiu a locality close to Romania’s greatest Black Sea port, Constanta.

    Ianis made his debut in Romania’s top-tier league with Viitorul Constanta, a team also head-coached by his father, Gheorghe Hagi. Ianis then played for Fiorentina in Italy, for Genk in Belgium and for Glasgow Rangers.

    Ianis Hagi was on loan from Rangers playing for Spanish club Deportivo Alaves, only to be summoned back by the Scottish team. Ianis made his debut with the National team in the fall of 2018, in a League of Nations fixture against Lithuania, a game Romania won, 3-nil.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Among Italy’s Serie A footballers who this past weekend put on an excellent run on the pitch, there was Romania midfielder Dennis Man. Man drew first blood for Parma, the team that grabbed a 3-1 win in their home game against Lazio. Man scored in the 6th minute, taking advantage of an error in Lazio’s defensive game.

    Romania’s Sports Gazette quoted Tutto Mercator Web as writing that “He was at right place the very moment Rovella made his mistake and kept his cool when he and goalie Provedel faced each other, sending the ball into the net. Tutto Mercato Web journalists wrote Dennis Man did quite a job in the game against Lazio Rome, and assess his performance with a 7. Of Parma’s line-up, it was only the scorer of the third goal, Enrico Del Prato, who got a better mark, 7.5.

    For Radio Romania International, Dennis Man is the Athlete of the week.

    Dennis Man was born on August 26, 1998 in western Romania’s Arad County, He took up football with the local club, then he was signed up by Atletico Arad’s juniors’ team. Eventually, Dennis Man played for his region’s lead team, UTA Arad. In seniors’ competitions, Dennis Man made his debut in 2015, three days after he turned 17, in a second-league game against Gaz Metan Medias, when UTA Arad sustained a 1-2 defeat.

    In 2016 Dennis Man made his debut in the Super League, playing for FCSB, in their match against Universitatea Craiova, a confrontation FCSB won, 2-1. Since 2021 Dennis Man has been playing for Italian team Parma. We recall in 2024 Parma got through to Serie A.

    In the ongoing season in Italy, Man was on the pitch for all 14 games Parma have played so far. He scored four goals and provided three assists.

    Dennis Man made his debut with the national team in March 2018, in a friendly game against Sweden. He boasts 30 caps for the national squad, scoring 8 goals.

  • Weightlifter Mihaela Cambei

    Weightlifter Mihaela Cambei

    At the Paris Olympics, Romania was once again represented in the weightlifting competition after an 8-year break. At the Tokyo 2020 edition, the Romanian Weightlifting Federation was under the effect of a suspension for repeated violations of anti-doping regulations. Now, two athletes have managed to qualify: Mihaela Cambei, in the 49 kilogram category, and Loredana Toma, in the 71 kilogram category. Although most hopes for a medal were directed towards Loredana, Mihaela performed best, winning the silver medal.

    Mihaela had a competition that specialists characterized as perfect. She lifted the barbell, in the snatch style, in turn, at 89, 91 and 93 kilograms. In the clean and jerk, she lifted it at 106, 110 and 112 kilograms but, on the second attempt, she injured her left hand. However, she managed to complete her third attempt, leading the standings with a total of 205 kilograms until the last attempt of the one who was to win the gold – the Chinese Zhihui Hou. She finally managed to lift 117 kilograms, an Olympic record in the clean and jerk style of the category, and obtain a total of 206 kilograms. The bronze medal went to Thailand’s Surodchana Khambao, with 200 kilograms.

    Mihaela Valentina Cambei was born in Dofteana commune, Bacău County (east), on November 18, 2002. In 2018, at just 16 years old, she won the bronze medal in the 48 kilogram category at the Summer Youth Olympic Games, organized in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She stood out in the senior competitions at just 20 years old, also demonstrating that she enjoys competing in South America. In 2022, at the World Championships in Colombia, in Bogota, she won the silver medal in the 49 kilogram category, snatch style. In 2023 and 2024, she dominated the European Championships, repeatedly breaking the continental record in the snatch. At the European Championships in Sofia, in the spring of this year, she also received the title of the best European weightlifter of the year 2023.

    Finally, we remind you that you can also find our sports column on the Internet, more precisely on the website rri.ro, as well as on the Facebook network, on the Radio Romania International profile.

  • Olympic profile 2024

    Olympic profile 2024

    Rowing was, at the Paris Olympics, Romania delegation’s strongest point. Of the 9 medals won by the Romanian athletes, 5 were won by the rowers. Of the 13 athletes that stepped onto a step of the podium in the rowing events, four rowers won two medals each, one gold and one silver.

    Two of the rowers are Ioana Vrânceanu and Roxana Anghel, who came in second in the women’s pair event. The other two are Simona Radiş and Ancuţa Bodnar, silver medalists in the double sculls event. Vranceanu, Anghel, Radis and Bodnar are also members of the coxed eight crew, winner of the Olympic title.

    This week we shall focus on Ioana Vrânceanu and Roxana Anghel.

    Ahead of their excellent run in Paris, Vranceanu and Anghel won the European title in women’s double sculls event in Szeged, in 2024. At the World Championship in Belgrade, in 2023, Vranceanu and Anghel won the bronze medal. As part of the of the Paris Olympics they had no problem going past the heats and then securing a laid-back qualification to the semifinals.

    Vranceanu and Anghel then came in second in the first semifinals and reached as far as the finals. Winning a medal was a hard-fought undertaking. The Romanians had a sluggish start, being 5th-placed after the first 500 meters. Then they advanced with one position after the other in each intermediate point. Halfway through the race they were fourth placed and in 1,500 meters came in third.

    Vranceanu and Anghel completed the race on the second position, having outclassed Lithuania and Australia. Gold went to defending world champions, the Dutch Ymkje Clevering and Veronique Meester. The Australian crew stepped onto the second step of the podium.

    In the coxed eight event, the Romanian crew succeeded a laid-back win arriving five seconds earlier than Great Britain’s boat that carried the runner-up crew. Joining Vrânceanu, Anghel, Bodnar and Radiş in the coxed eight boat were Maria Magdalena Rusu, Maria Lehaci, Adriana Adam, Amalia Bereş and Victoria Ştefania Petreanu as coxswain.

    Ioana Vrânceanu was born on March 7, 1994 in Târgu Mureş, central Transylvania. Ioana’s first great performance occurred in 2017, when she was a member of Romania’s coxed eight crew, a gold medalist at the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Florida, the USA.

    Roxana Anghel hails from Câmpulung Moldovenesc, in the north. She was born on January 1st, 1998. She got a taste for major wins in 2019, as a member of the coxed eight crew that emerged as winner of the European title in Lucerne.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    A WTA 125 women’s tennis tournament was held in Bolivia, Santa Cruz. The vent had 115,000 USD up for grabs. The winner was a Romanian, Anca Todoni.

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

    In Bolivia, Anca did not lose one single set. She was 6th-seeded at the tournament. In the first round, Todoni defeated Argentinian Sol Ailin Larraya Guidi, 6-3, 6-2. In the round of 16, Anca Todoni faced Canada’s Carson Branstine, who pulled out of competition when the score was 6-nil, 3-nil. Then in the quarterfinals, Todoni defeated 2nd seeded Chloe Pacquet of France, 6-3, 6-nil.

    On Saturday in the semi-final, Anca Todoni outclassed Latvia’s Darija Semenistaja, 6-nil, 6-1. On Sunday, Anca, in the final defeated Colombia’s Emiliana Arango, 7-6, 6-nil. Anca’s match against her south-American opponent was the most difficult one in Santa Cruz.

    However, Todoni secured her win in one hour and 34 minutes of play, despite her being outclassed in the first set, 2-nil and 3-1. Todoni was rewarded with 15,000 USD and granted 125 WTA points, skipping 21 positions according to world rankings and being 117th-placed.

    On October 10, 2024, Anca Todoni turned 21st. She was born in Timisoara. She made her debut as a pro in 2020, in an ITF tournament in Canada. In 2022 Anca won her first ITF tournament in Turkey’s Antalya, in the final outclassing a fellow Romanian, Patricia Tig. In 2024, Anca Todoni succeeded to win her first WTA 125 tournament, in June, in Bari, Italy. In the semifinal, Todoni defeated Hungarian opponent Panna Udvardy, 6-4, 6-nil. Then in Wimbledon, Anca Todoni reached as far as the second round. According to the world rankings, in August 2024 she reached her career-best so far, being 115th-placed.

  • 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.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    Romanian football team FCSB after two rounds in Europa league has six points on their record sheet, out of a similar number of matches played. This past Thursday, holders FCSM succeeded a precious 1-nil away win against Greek team PAOK Thessalonica. For FCSB, it was the second win in a row.

    It was a difficult game, all the more so as, from 55 minutes, FCSB were one man shy on the pitch since Darius Olaru was eliminated, being twice yellow-booked. The one-goal advantage provided by Daniel Barligea’s feat in added time was as frail as ever, yet FCSB succeeded to maintain the advantage. There were moments when FCSB’s defensive line-up proved powerless, yet goalie Stefan Tarnovanu made the difference with a couple of stunning saves.

    Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Tarnovanu the Athlete of the week.
    In Thessalonica, Tarnovanu succeeded his first save in minute 9, when he deflected Ghanaian Abdul Rahman Baba’s header. Then on 39 minutes Tarnovanu succeeded yet another last-gasp save as Brazilian Taison attempted a shot at goal.

    In the second half, Tarnovanu again shone, thanks to a couple of saves he succeeded just six minutes after Olaru was eliminated, when Giannis Konstantelias shot the ball from inside FCSB’s box, or when he deflected Russian Magomed Ozdoev’s header. Tarnovanu was again put to the test on 85 minutes, then again, in the first minute of extra time, when he twice deflected Tiémoué Bakayoko’s header. In the seventh minute of added time, Tarnovanu proved he was also lucky: when shot by Ioannis Michailidis, the ball touched one of the posts and the score stayed the same.

    Ştefan Târnovanu was born on May 9, 2000 in Iasi, in the east. He made his debut in football with the local Politehnica’s juniors team. As a senior footballer, in 2018 Stefan Tarnovanu made his debut in League One, when Politehnica Iasi drew against Sepsi Sfântu Gheorghe, 1-all. Stefan has been playing for FCSB since 2020. We recall FCSB won the domestic champion title in 2024. Stefan Tarnovanu made his debut with the national team in November 2022, in Romania’s friendly match against Republic of Moldova, when Romania won, 5-nil. Tarnovanu was a full-timer in the national squad’s most recent game in the League of Nations, when Romania grabbed a 3-1 win against Lithuania.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    The third edition of the Ţiriac Foundation Trophy tennis tournament has recently come to end in Bucharest. Hosted by the National tennis center in Bucharest, in 2024 the WTA 125 tournament had 115, 000 USD up for grabs. All the 8 seeded tennis player of the tournament were some of world’s top 200 players. Among them, great names of Romanian tennis, such as veteran tennis player Irina Begu and the surprise of the 2024 edition, Anca Todoni.

    However, the winner was a player who, before her remarkable feat in Bucharest, was not one of the 200 players according to world rankings. Miriam Bulgaru is WTA 202nd tennis player. Her win in Bucharest is her career-peak so far. Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Miriam Bulgaru the Athlete of the week.

    As part of the Ţiriac Foundation Trophy, in the first round Miriam Bulgaru outclassed Italy’s Nicole Fossa Huergo, cu 6-1, 6-3. In the second round, Miriam Bulgaru defeated Serbia’s Dejana Radanovic, 6-4, 6-4. In the quarterfinals Miriam defeated Alevtina Ibraghimova of Russia, 6-2 , 6-2. It was not until the semi-final confrontation that she lost the first set, when Bulgaru played Georgia’s Ekaterine Gorgodze, eventually winning the match, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

    In the final, Bulgaru went against Liechtenstein’s Kathinka von Deichmann, who, in the quarterfinals, outclassed the top-seed tennis player, Argentina’s Marie Lourdes Carle. Miriam Bulgaru won the first set, 6-3. von Deichmann won the second set, 6-1. However, the decisive set was won by the Romanian, 6-4. The winner was rewarded with 15,000 USD, also skipping 24 places according to world rankings. So far Miriam has reached her career peak, the 178th-position.

    Miriam Bulgaru was born on October 8, 1988 in the central Romania town of Alba Iulia. Miriam made her debut in the WTA circuit in 2018, at the Bucharest Open, where she was granted a wild card. However, in the first round she lost to China’s Wang Yafan. So far Miriam has won three ITF tournaments. Her net income so far amounts to more than 300,000 USD.

  • Athlete of the week

    Athlete of the week

    The Summer Paralympic Games drew to a close in Paris on Sunday. Every four years, the competition is organized immediately after the Olympic Games. The system has been operational since 1988, when the Korean edition of the Games was held. However, the history of the Paralympic competitions dedicated to the disabled began earlier, in 1948, with a series of competitions dedicated to the WWII British veterans.

    Officially, the inaugural edition of the Paralympic Games was held in Rome in 1960. The competition has evolved ever since, so much so that in 2024 in Paris the event gathered almost 4,500 athletes and more than two million spectators.

    In 2024, representing Romania were two visually impaired judokas, Alexandru Bologa and Daniel Vargoczki. Joining them were Eduard Novak and Theodor Matican in cycling, as well as Camelia Ciripan and Bobi Simion in table tennis. The star of the Romanian delegation was the 2012 Paralympic champion Novak. At the opening ceremony, the Romanian delegation’s veteran athlete, 45-year-old Camelia Ciripan was the flag bearer. However, the Romanian delegation’s top performer was judoka Alexandru Bologa, who walked away with gold in the 73-kilogram category.

    Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Bologa the Athlete of the Week.

    Alexandru Bologa was born on November 7, 1995, in Salaj County, in the north. He was diagnosed with a complete visual impairment at the age of 7. As an athlete, he first took up swimming, then he moved on to judo. His first great performance occurred in 2013, when, at the age of 18, Bologa walked away with silver at the World Juniors’ Championships held in Eger, Hungary. In 2016 he won the Open in Heidelberg and the Grand Prix in Birmingham. Bologa made his Paralympic debut at the 2016 edition of the Games in Rio de Janeiro, winning bronze in the 60-kilogram category.

    In Tokyo in 2021, Alexandru Bologa reiterated his performance, while at the Paris Paralympics in 2024 he exceeded everyone’s expectations and won gold. He entered straight the semifinals, defeating Uzbek opponent Shohruh Mamedov, through ippon. In the semifinal, Bologa outclassed, through waza-ari, Brazil’s Harlley Damiao Pereira Arruda. In the final, Bologa defeated, through ippon, Kazakhstan’s Yergali Samei.