Romania's rowing team, quadruple gold medalists in Racice, welcomed at airport by top officials

The Romanian rowing team was received, on Monday, at official area of the Henri Coanda International Airport, by Minister of Sports Eduard Novak, the president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR) Mihai Covaliu, the Romanian Rowing Federation's head Elisabeta Lipa, relatives, friends and acquaintances, upon returning from the Racice 2022 World Rowing Championships (September 18-25), where Romanian athletes won four gold medals.

At the welcoming ceremony, Eduard Novak thanked the athletes for giving up their "freedom" and working in the training camp to achieve these performances.

"You spent 10-11 months in the training camp, you believed in Mrs. Lipa and now you have these results. My heart is with you because I know what you went through. So, as long as I am a minister you will have my 100% support," said the minister.

"We wrote history at the World Championships, we broke records. First, Ionela Cozmiuc had a sensational race, then in the men's double sculls the boys achieved a historic result. Romanian rowing has never had a world champion in double sculls in its history. Just like we didn't have a world champion in women's double rowing. I have 11 silver medals, but no world title in the double event. But Simona Radis and Ancuţa Bodnar achieved this performance at 20 or so years old. And Simona Radis , 45 minutes after she became the champion in the double rowing event, she got into the 8+1 boat and said to the girls: Have faith in me that I will make you world champions'. With how many athletes like Simona can Romania boast? Our Simona is a phenomenon. Simona Radis is the David Popovici of rowing, as we are still talking about water," said the president of the Romanian Rowing Federation, Elisabeta Lipa.

The president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR), Mihai Covaliu, emphasized the fact that the rowers' results at the World Championships are not accidental and that they have years of work behind them.

Romania won four gold medals at the World Championships in the Czech Republic, on Friday through Ionela Cozmiuc, in lightweight women's single sculls, on Saturday at men's double sculls (Marius Cozmiuc and Sergiu Bejan), and on Sunday in women's double sculls (Ancuta Bodnar and Simona Radis) and women's eight (Magdalena Rusu, Iuliana Buhus, Adriana Ailincai, Maria Tivodariu, Madalina Beres. Amalia Beres, Ioana Vrinceanu, Denisa Tilvescu, Victoria-Stefania Petreanu) who dominated from start to finish, being clocked with a time of 06 min 01 sec 14/100.

Romania's delegation fielded 11 boats and 35 athletes in the World Championships in Racice, managing to qualify nine in the finals for medals. The final tally was four gold medals, three fourth places and two sixth places.AGERPRES