Reining in Glory: Romanian Equestrian LEGEND Champions Receive Presidential Honors
Romanian Olympic Champions Honored at Cotroceni Palace
The Olympic champions were decorated on Wednesday by the acting president in Cotroceni Palace. The Romanian sports legend was elevated to the rank of Knight of Romania, in what appears to be his last public appearance, as the tenant’s presidential host.
President Klaus Iohannis decorated, on Wednesday, in a ceremony held in the Cotroceni Palace, the Olympic and Paralympic athletes who won medals in Paris, as well as coaches and former tricolor glories. Nadia Comăneci was also present at the event. Among the decorated athletes was the gymnast Sabrina Voinea, who is considered to have been angered by the judges in the Olympic floor final.
Simona Radiş spoke on behalf of the athletes, who declared that she was proud to represent Romania. “We are proud to represent Romania and raise the flag on the top steps. We really hope that with our work we succeed in being a positive example. We are a generation and a nation that can and must work towards this path.”
Also at the ceremony on Wednesday, President Iohannis de Mihaela Cambei and Alexandru Bologa were given the Romanian flag.
Awards and Honors
- National Order of the Star of Romania in the rank of Chief Officer – Elisabeta Lipă
- National Order of the Star of Romania in the rank of Knight - Mihai Covaliu
- National Order of Loyal Service in the rank of Knight – George Boroi, Camelia Potec
- National Order of Merit in the rank of Knight – Florin Mişcă
- National Order of Loyal Service in the rank of Knight – Ancuţa Bodnar, Simona Radiş
- Order of National Merit in the rank of Knight – Roxana Angel, Ioana Vrînceanu
- Class I Sports Merit Order – Adriana Adam, Amalia Bereş, Andrei Cornea, Marian Enache, Maria Lehaci, Ştefania Petreanu, David Popovici, Maria Magdalena Rusu
- Order of Sports Merit Class II with barrette – Mihaela Cambei, Ionela Cozmiuc, Gianina van Groningen,
- Sporting Merit Class III with two bars - Ana Marria Bărbosu
- Sports Order Merit Class III – Sabrina Voinea
- National Order of Loyal Service in the rank of Knight – Antonio Colamonici, Adrian Rădulescu
- National Order of Merit in the rank of Knight – Adrian Ionescu, Corina Moroşan
- Class I Sports Order of Merit – Alexandru Bolog
- Sporting Merit Class III with two bars – Camelia Ciripan
Paris, an Unforgettable Summer
Maria Magdalena Rusu, Roxana Iuliana Anghel, Nicoleta Ancuța Bodnar, Maria Lehaci, Adriana Adam, Amalia Bereş, Ioana Vrînceanu, Simona Geanina Radiş and Victoria Ştefania Petreanu won a gold medal in rowing - eight sculls (8+), Andrei Sebastian Enache and Marian Florian Enache in rowing – double sculls (2x) and David Popovici in swimming – 200m freestyle.
Mihaela Valentina Cambei weightlifting – 49 kg, Gianina Elena van Groningen and Ionela Livia Cozmiuc rowing - light category double sculls (L2x), Ioana Vrînceanu and Roxana Iuliana Anghel rowing - double sculls (2-) and Simona Geanina Radiş and Nicoleta Ancu Bodnar in rowing – double rowing (2x).
David Popovici won bronze in swimming - 100 m free and Ana Maria Bărbosu in artistic gymnastics - floor, the latter after an appeal to TAS.
At the Paralympic Games, Romanian athletes won two medals: Alexandru Bologa – gold in judo and Camelia Ciripan – bronze in para table tennis.