Sports Flash

These days, the World Rowing Championships are taking place in Amsterdam, Netherlands, alongside the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships in Poznań, Poland.

Florin Orban, 27.08.2026, 13:45

In Amsterdam, the World Rowing Championships are underway, with Romanian athletes standing among the medal favorites. Among the crews that have already qualified for the finals are Romania’s coxless pair boats. On the women’s side, Adriana Adam and Simona Radiș won the first semifinal with a lead of nearly 9 seconds over second place, setting the fastest overall time in the semifinals. In the men’s event, Ștefan Berariu and Florin Lehaci placed third in the first semifinal. Although finished behind the crews from New Zealand and Australia, their 3rd-place finish secured them a direct spot in Friday’s final, alongside the women’s coxless pair.

Meanwhile in Poznań, Poland, the Canoe Sprint World Championships are in full swing. On Wednesday, Romanian athlete Braulio Nicolae Flores-Mateescu qualified for the semifinals in the men’s single canoe (C1) 1,000m and 500m events. In the 1,000 meters, Flores-Mateescu finished fifth in the first heat, while in the 500 meters, he took fourth place in heat four. The finals are set for the weekend.

Turning to volleyball: the Romanian women’s national team lost its first three matches at the ongoing European Championship hosted across Türkiye, Czechia, Azerbaijan, and Sweden. Competing in Group C in Baku, the Romanian squad was first defeated by the Netherlands 3-2, then by Azerbaijan by the same scoreline, and finally by Belgium 3-0. Up next, Romania faces Portugal on Thursday, followed by a match against Spain on Friday. The top four teams in the group will advance to the round of 16.

As of Wednesday, the lineup for the UEFA Champions League group stage is complete. Two of the qualified teams feature Romanian players: PSV Eindhoven, home to Dennis Man, and AEK Athens, featuring Răzvan Marin. Eindhoven qualified directly for the Champions League as champions of the Netherlands. AEK, the Greek champion, played in the play-off round against Bulgarian champion Levski Sofia, advancing after a 0-0 draw away and a 4-0 victory at home.