Athlete of the Week on RRI – Fencer Simona Pop

Simona Pop won bronze at the 2015 European Fencing Championships

Steliu Lambru, 09.06.2015, 13:22

Romanian fencer Simona Pop won the bronze medal in the women’s epee event at the European Fencing Championships in Montreux, Switzerland. Simona Pop didn’t play in the first round, while in the second round she eased past Dorina Budai of Hungary, 15-3. In the eighth finals Simona edged out Emma Samuelsson of Sweden 15-14, while in the quarterfinals she defeated Tatiana Logunova of Russia 15-11. In the semi-finals, Simona Pop lost 15-9 to Rossella Fiamingo of Italy, the defending world champion. The gold went to Violetta Kolobova of Russia, who defeated Fiamingo 15-12 in the final. Emese Szasz of Hungary also scooped bronze after losing to Kolobova 15-10 in the semi-finals.

For her remarkable achievement, we have designated Simona Pop Athlete of the Week on RRI.

Simona Pop was born in Satu Mare, northwestern Romania on December 25, 1988. She took up fencing in her hometown and managed her first notable performance in 2008, when she won silver at the World Junior Fencing Championship in Acireale, Italy. In 2013 she was silver-medallist at the Summer Universiade in Kazan, Russia.

In the 2012-2013 season Simona Pop won bronze at the World Championships in Saint-Maur, France and silver at the European Champions’ Cup with Romania’s team. In the 2013-2014 season, Pop won gold with Romania’s team at the World Championships in Doha, Qatar.

Simona Pop was then drafted into Romania’s senior team, and became the team’s number two player after captain Ana-Maria Branza. Shortly afterwards she was signed by CSA Steaua Bucharest.

With Romania’s team she won the bronze medal at the 2013 World Championships and gold at the 2014 European Championships, where Romania defeated Russia in the final match 38-34.

Simona Pop has been married to fencer Adrian Pop since 2012.