Sports flash
The latest from swimming, rowing and volleyball
Florin Orban, 20.07.2023, 13:45
The World Swimming Championships are underway in Fukukoa, Japan. The Romanian swimmers who have competed so far have succeeded lacklustre results. All hopes are pinned on diver Constantin Popovici and on David Popovici, who competes in the freestyle event. Constantin Popovici is the European high-diving champion. He competes on Friday, jumping off the 10-meter platform, while the high-diving event is scheduled next week. The defending 100m and 200m freestyle world champion David Popovici competes next week as well.
The World U-23 Rowing Championships are underway in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. The Romanian womens quadruple sculls crew was the first Romanian crew to have advanced to the finals. The crew was made of Emanuela-Ioana Ciotău, Alexandra Ungureanu, Cristina Drugă and Patricia Cireş. At the 2022 edition of the World Youth Championships held in Varese, Italy, Romania walked away with three medals: gold in the womens double scull, silver in the womens quadruple sculls and bronze in mens pair events.
In news from womens volleyball, Romanian title holders Romanian title holders Alba Blaj will play in the Champions Leagues 2nd preliminary round, according to the drawing of lots carried in Luxembourg this past Wednesday. Volei Alba Blaj go against Kralovo Pole Brno, of the Czech Republic, Gran Canaria of Spain and Hapoel Kfar Saba of Israel. The fixtures are scheduled in October. The first two teams in descending order advance to the second preliminary round, to be held as a tournament.
In the Champions Leagues first preliminary round, Romanian mens volleyball champion team, Arcada Galaţi, has been included in a three-team group, alongside Croatias Mladost Zagreb and Guaguas Las Palmas of Spain. The first two teams in descending order advance to the second qualifying round.
The World Fencing Championships kick-start in Milan at the weekend. Apart from medals, the competition offers important points for the qualification to the 2024 edition of the Olympic Games in Paris. Romania has entered a 15-strong delegation for the coopetition, of which 12 girls and 5 boys. In the womens version of the championships Romania will have three complete teams for all three events, while in the mens version, Romania will only have a complete team in the sabre event.
