Olympic Prospects
The latest performances obtained by the Romanian athletes in their attempt to qualify for the upcoming Olympic Games
Florin Orban, 19.06.2024, 13:54
A new edition of the Olympic Games is expected to kick off in the French capital Paris in less than 6 weeks.
The last qualification contests are underway and the athletes who booked tickets for Paris are completing their training. 91 athletes from Romania have so far qualified for the Olympic Games. The latest qualified is the Stella Rutto, a Romanian athlete of Kenyan origin, who went fourth in the 3 thousand meter hurdles at the recent championships in Rome, where she ended the race in 9 minutes, 22 seconds and 36 hundredths, a fresh personal record on the aforementioned distance.
Joan Chelimo Melly got the only medal for Romania, silver in the half-marathon race, which is also a record for Romania. This Kenyan athlete is one of Romania’s runners in the Olympic marathon competition in Paris. Another Kenyan athlete, Delvine Meringor will also compete for Romania in Paris.
Romanian sports fans have also pinned their hopes on their canoe sprinters. Last week at the European Kayak-Canoe Championships in Szeged, Hungary, Romanian Catalin Chirila clinched the European title in the one thousand meter canoe race, which is also an Olympic event.
Romania hasn’t had a favourite canoe sprinter since Ivan Patzaichin, who reaped the Olympic gold in Munich, in 1972.
Rowing is another Olympic discipline where Romania might have something to say in Paris as its athletes walked away with eight medals, four gold, two silver and two bronze, from the European championship in April. Our women’s eight stepped onto the podium’s highest step, as well as our male and female light double sculls, and women’s coxless pair. Silver went to the men’s pairs and the women’s four. The rowing events in Paris will be attended by 45 athletes from Romania.
(bill)
