Sports Roundup

The European Weightlifting Championships came to an end in Forde, Norway. Romanian athletes won a total of 15 medals, of which 4 gold. The last to climb onto the podium were Gabriel Sancraian and Gheorghii Cernei. On Thursday, they won four metals in the 85 kg category. Sancraian scooped gold in the snatch event and silver in the clean and jerk and total events. Cernei grabbed bronze in the total event.

Romania lost 1-4 the Fed Cup match against Germany, counting towards the World Group playoffs and played in Cluj. The only win for Romania was grabbed by Simona Halep, WTA no. 5, in Saturday’s game against Andrea Petkovic, 6-4, 6-7, 6-4. In 2017, Romania will play in the second World Group.

The Romanian women’s national gymnastics team failed to qualify to the 2016 Rio Olympics, after the men’s team had also failed to qualify a day earlier. Romania took part in the pre-Olympic tournament after failing to rank among the first eight teams in the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow. After 48 years, Romania will not be represented in the Olympic gymnastics competition.

We move on to news from football. In the highlight match of the 7th round of the First League playoffs, Astra Giurgiu defeated Steaua Bucharest 2-nil. On Sunday, Dinamo Bucharest secured a narrow 1-nil win against ASA Targu Mures on home turf.

The last match of the round will be played on Monday, when Viitorul Constanta will take on Pandurii Targu Jiu.

With only three fixtures remaining in the 2015-2016 football season, Astra Giurgiu tops the league tables with 42 points, followed by Steaua Bucharest with 36 points and Dinamo Bucharest with 34 points. Astra needs another 4 points to win the first title since the club was founded.

In other news from football, striker Florin Andone scored another goal for his club, Cordoba, in the match won against Huesca, 2-nil, as part of the 34th round of the Second Spanish Division. This was Andone’s 18th goal this season.

(Translated by V. Palcu)