Romanian canoeist Simona Radis, gold medalist at this year's European Under-23 and Senior Championships, was named "Rising Star" of December by the World Rowing Federation, according to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Wednesday.
"Canoeist Simona Geanina Radis, 21, was named 'The Rising Star' of December 2020 by World Rowing Federation. Simona Radis won two gold medals this year in extremely important competitions with her colleague in the women's double rowing boat, Nicoleta Ancuta Bodnar. In September, the two sportswomen grabbed the gold at the European Under-23 Rowing Championships in Duisburg, Germany. A month later, in October, Simona Radis and Ancuta Bodnar won the gold medal at the European Rowing Championships in Poznan, Poland," reads the Romanian Rowing Federation's release.
Simona Radis has been honoured by the world federation's distinction and said her main goal in 2021 is to win a medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
The President of the Romanian Rowing Federation, Elisabeth Lipa, said on this occasion: "I congratulate Simona for being an extremely ambitious, talented, hard-working and determined athlete. Like all her colleagues. Thank you to the World Rowing Federation for recognizing the merits of Romanian canoeists. I hope that such titles will be awarded in the future to other athletes from the Olympic Rowing lot of Romania, because everyone deserves their work and their skills to be recognized worldwide. I congratulate Simona on the two gold medals she won only this year with her colleague, Nicoleta Ancuta Bodnar. I wish them to take the podium in Tokyo next year."
The women's double rowing boat (W2x), consisting of Simona Geanina Radis and Nicoleta Ancuta Bodnar, is among the 7 Romanian boats already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics.