Athlete of the week

Handball is once again these days in the focus of attention of sports fans around the world. The men's World Championships hosted by Poland and Sweden, has brought together 32 teams, although Romania has not managed to secure a place among them.

This is why Romanian handball fans are focusing on women's competitions, which have brought more satisfaction lately for our country. For instance, both teams representing Romania in the Champions' League have real chances to qualify into the competition's quarter-finals. Champions Rapid Bucharest are ranking 4th in Group B, only 2 points behind the second place that secures a place in the quarter-finals. CSM Bucharest is placed even better: they lead Group A and only need one point in the last 3 matches of the group stage to make it to the top 8 teams of the event.  

On Saturday, CSM once again proved it is one of the teams entitled to claim the Champions' title. Coach Adrian Vasile's students defeated the Danish champions Odense Håndbold 40 - 31. According to Agerpres, Cristina Neagu was again the best player in the Romanian team, with 10 goals scored. For her contribution to this huge success against one of the world's best handball schools, Radio Romania International has designated Cristina Neagu "Athlete of the Week".

Cristina Neagu was born in Bucharest on 26 August 1988. In 2006 she joined the top-tier team Rulmentul Brașov, from which she later on transferred to Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea. In 2010, with Oltchim, she played the finals of the Champions' League. After the team dismantled, she moved to Buducnost Podgorica, with which she actually won the Champions' League in 2015. Since 2017 she has been playing for CSM Bucharest. In 2010, 2015, 2016 and 2018, the International Handball Federation named her the best player in the world, making her the first in history to win this title 4 times. (AMP)