Olympic Qualifiers

The World Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, brought new places for Romanian athletes to next year's Olympic Games in Paris

Florin Orban, 04.10.2023, 13:45

The World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, taking place in the Belgian city of Antwerp, brought new places for Romanian athletes to next years Olympic Games in Paris. The first to get the ticket for France was Andrei Muntean. On Sunday, he ranked 30th in the all – around event and will go to France thanks to a special criterion of the international federation. According to that, the first eight athletes in the individual ranking who are not qualified with the team will compete at the Olympic Games next year, and Muntean was among them.

After 12 years, the Romanian womens team returns to the Olympic Games. In the Antwerp qualifiers, the girls came in 10th. This position ensured their tickets to Paris, but not the place in the team finals of the World competition. Ana Maria Bărbosu, Sabrina Voinea, Lilia Cosman, Amalia Ghigoartă and Andreea Preda performed for Romania. Bărbosu will compete in the all-around event, and Voinea, in the floor event.

According to Agerpres, Romania currently has 60 athletes qualified for the 2024 Olympic Games. The goal set some time ago by Mihai Covaliu, the president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, is for the tricolor delegation for Paris to reach 80-90 athletes. Romania has already ensured that it will have representatives in athletics, boxing, cycling, rowing, artistic and rhythmic gymnastics, swimming and kayak-canoeing.

In several disciplines, Romanian athletes are world champions, so, clearly, favorites for medals. For example, in rowing, Simona Radiş and Ancuța Bodnar categorically dominate the double rowing event, in which they are defending Olympic champions and winners of the last two editions of the World Championships. David Popovici, in swimming, although he did not climb the podium at the last World Championships, holds the world record in the 100-meter freestyle. Cătălin Chirilă, world champion, last year, and vice-champion, this year, in the single canoe in the Olympic 1000 meters event, can be added to the list of contenders for medals. (MI)