Athletes of the Week on RRI – Romania’s 8 + 1 crew

Romania's 8 + 1 crew won gold at the recent European Rowing Championships

Florin Orban, 03.06.2014, 13:21

Romania’s 8 + 1 crew have won their eight European title, this time at the European Rowing Championships in Poznan. The crew crossed the finish line after a race of 6.16 minutes. Great Britain and Germany came in second and third respectively. For their remarkable performance, we have designated the rowers making up Romania’s 8 + 1 crew Athletes of the Week on RRI.

Romania’s 8 + 1 crew is made up of Roxana Cogianu, Nicoleta Albu, Mihaela Petrila, Irina Dorneanu, Cristina Ilie, Andreea Boghian, Adelina Cojocariu, Ioana Crăciun and Daniela Druncea. Over the years, Romania has upheld its reputation in international competitions. Our country has won no less than 7 Olympic medals, of which three consecutive gold medals, in 1996 in Atlanta, in 2000 in Sydney and in 2004 in Athens. Romania also won silver in 1984 in Los Angeles, in 1988 in Seoul and in 1992 in Barcelona.

At the 2008 Beijing Olympics Romania won bronze. At the 2012 London Olympics Romania’s 8 + 1 crew finished the race in fourth place, after the United States, Canada and the Netherlands. After that result our crew underwent a period of reconstruction, with several younger rowers being brought in on the crew. Nicoleta Albu, Roxana Cogianu, Adelina Cojocariu and Irina Dorneanu are now the only remaining senior members. Also worth mentioning is a notable performance reported last September, when Romania’s 8 + 1 crew won silver at the World Rowing Championships in Chungju, South Korea. The United States won gold while Canada won bronze.

In other news from rowing, at the European Rowing Championships in Belgrade, the Romanian women’s double scull crew made up of Cristina Grogoras and Laura Oprea won silver. The gold medal went to Helen Glover and Polly Swann of Great Britain, while Aletta Jorritsma and Heleen Boers won bronze.