Athlete of the Week – Wrestler Darius Sas
The best Romanian sports result of last week comes from freestyle wrestling.
Florin Orban, 25.08.2026, 13:45
The main Romanian sporting achievement of last week occurred at the Under-20 World Wrestling Championships in Bratislava. Darius Sas won the bronze medal in the freestyle 92 kg category, becoming the only Romanian to step onto the podium. For this performance, Radio Romania International has named Darius Sas Athlete of the Week.
In the capital of Slovakia, Darius Adrian Sas defeated Azerbaijan’s Huseyn Mammadtaghizada in the preliminary round on Friday. In the round of 16, he overcame Moldova’s Alexandru Borș, and in the quarterfinals, he defeated Turkmenistan’s Dovletgeldi Miradov, before losing the semifinal to Iran’s Abolfazl Yaser Rahmani Firouzei. He then faced Belarus’s Alan Tsagaraev in the bronze medal match, controlling the bout throughout to secure a 6–2 victory.
Darius Adrian Sas is 19 years old and hails from Reghin. He represents CSM CSS Târgu Mureș and was originally discovered by coach Peres Miklos. Local media reports that he developed as an athlete by splitting his time between Reghin and Târgu Mureș, demonstrating strict discipline from a young age. Notably, Târgu Mureș is home to the National Olympic Training Center for Junior Wrestlers.
Darius made a name for himself in international junior competitions last year, placing 9th in the 85 kg category at the European Championships in Italy. He subsequently moved up to the 92 kg category, where he broke through to reach the podium in his first major appearance. Earlier this July, he also won a bronze medal at the Under-20 European Championships in North Macedonia. (VP)
