The Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee officially presented on Wednesday, at an event organized at the "Sydney 2000" Olympic Complex in Izvorani, the 20-strong line-up that will represent Romania at the winter edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) taking place February 9-16 in Bakuriani, Georgia, as the main host city.
Present at the event in Izvorani, the president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee Mihai Covaliu said that in Bakuriani the athletes should find motivation in the fact that the 2027 edition of EYOF will be organized in the Romanian city of Brasov.
"We are leaving for Georgia, and the motto of this competition is 'Time to shine'. So you have the opportunity to shine at this edition of the European Youth Olympic Festival, to climb the podium and mark a beginning in your career that I wish you to be as long as possible. I encourage you to compete with confidence, we will be there to support and applaud you. I wish you to exceed your own limits and performances so far and to finish ahead of your competitors. The 2027 Festival will be organized in Romania, in Brasov, so will you please keep this in mind as well. There is no pressure, just a greater motivation to compete at top level," Covaliu told the athletes.
Romania's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the European Youth Olympic Festival in Bakuriani, a competition reserved for athletes aged 14 to 18, are biathletes Krisztina Sillo and Gigi Vladut Lupoiu.
Team Romania's ambassador at EYOF Bakuriani 2025 is Ebru Bolat, who participated in the Paris 2024 Olympics yachting competition.
At the 17th winter edition of EYOF, Team Romania will compete in four out of eight sports : biathlon, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing and snowboarding.
The 20 Romanian athletes will be accompanied by nine coaches:
Biathlon (8 athletes - 4 girls, 4 boys): Boglarka Kelemen, Krisztina Sillo, Boroka Tamas, Janka Dora Kurko, Alex Florin Mihai Hrit, Bogdan Jifcu, Gigi Vladut Lupoiu, Hunor Udvari;
Coaches: Attila Czont, Daniel Mazilu, Tudor Girbacea, Szilard Marton;
Alpine skiing (4 athletes - 2 girls, 2 boys): Maja Biro, Sofia Maria Moldovan, Zsolt Paszka, Matei Alexandru Tuţiu;
Coaches: Alexandru George Barbu, Sandra Elena Nărea;
Cross-country skiing (4 athletes - 2 girls, 2 boys): Andreea - Marina Cotinghiu, Boglarka Pall, Stefan Paul Gherghel, Iosua Cojocaru;
Coaches: Istvan Janosi, George Scurtu;
Snowboarding (4 athletes - 2 girls, 2 boys): Csinszka Bako-Vilehelem, Boglarka Szasz, Zoltan Benczedi, Botond Mihaly;
Coach: Geza Lorant Kinda.
Romania has been through an EYOF medal drought since the 2013 edition organized in Brasov, when it reaped one gold and two silvers.
The competition will bring together over 900 athletes from 45 countries, who will compete in ice hockey, figure skating, short-track, biathlon, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding.
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