Local sport has awarded its performers

Local sport lives through its performers. It is natural that they should be rewarded for their work. Mircea Lucescu, Simona Radiş, Ancuţa Bodnar and Cătălin Chirilă were rewarded, on Wednesday, with the most important prizes at the Romanian Sports Gala 2023, an event that took place at the Romanian Athenaeum. The gala was attended by numerous former and current athletes, people who wrote history, representatives of the authorities, but also the president of the Senate, Nicolae Ciucă. Mircea Lucescu received the special award of the National Sports Agency / Legend of sport.

Mircea Lucescu said on stage: "I'm not just a legend, the legends are here in the country. It is not by chance that sport starts to move. I have seen people who bring more than skill, passion and intelligence to sports. I congratulate all our champions, our former champions, who were the joy of my childhood. For me the tricolor meant a lot. I was never captain of the club team, only of the national team".

Simona Radiş was rewarded with the excellence trophy, which was handed to her by Nicolae Ciucă: "I have some emotions, but I expected the worst. 2023 was a good year, but it has passed and we are looking ahead because Paris is coming. We have high hopes, we are a very strong team. The Romanian delegation at this edition of the Olympic Games will undoubtedly shine. We have a fight to fight, we are fighting a war, but we will win it for sure. Support us. Go Romania!".

The sportsman of the year was designated Cătălin Chirilă, and the sportswoman of the year Ancuţa Bodnar.

"The year 2023 was full of emotions, but very successful. I am extremely honored to receive this award and I am sure that I would not have been able to do these performances without the team behind me", said Chirilă, specifying that in 2024 he must continue at the same pace and with equally good results. Bodnar thanked all those who were with her on the way to performance. During the gala, the president of COSR, Mihai Covaliu, emphasized that sport needs the support of all central and local authorities: "We are on the last turn towards the Olympic Games in Paris. You need investment in sports, continuity, patience, all counting in medals. The dominance of rowing is a good example. I appreciate the constancy and modesty of Cătălin Chirilă... I welcome the return of the Romanian women's gymnastics team to the Olympic competitions. We have the patience necessary in high-performance sports to build and help grow a new generation of performers. Someone said that sport in Romania is dead. He didn't die and he won't die. We need the support of all central and local authorities. It is a particularly important year and only united will we succeed in being victorious".

The prizes awarded were as follows: Sportsman of the year - Cătălin Chirilă, canoe (gold and silver at the World Championships, silver at the European Championships); Sportswoman of the year - Ancuţa Bodnar, rowing (European and world champion in double rowing); Coach of the year - Antonio Colamonici, rowing; Coach of the year - Camelia Voinea, gymnastics; Athlete of the year in Paralympic sport - Alexandru Bologa, judo; Athlete of the year in Paralympic sport - Gabriela Constantin, paratennis; Special Olympics - Ionuţ Păunescu (gymnastics);

Team of the year - men's team sports - National football team (qualification for the European Championship); Team of the year - women's team sports - Romanian table tennis team (gold medal at the European Games); Team of the year - men's individual sports - 8+1 rowing boat (Mihăiţă ţigănescu, Ciprian Tudosă, Florin Arteni, Mugurel Semciuc, Marius Cozmiuc, Sergiu Bejan, Ştefan Berariu, Florin Lehaci and Adrian Munteanu), silver medal at the European Championships; Team of the year - female individual sports - 8+1 rowing boat (Ioana Vrînceanu, Roxana Anghel, Mădălina Bereş, Maria Tivodariu, Amalia Bereş, Magdalena Rusu, Adriana Adam, Iuliana Buhuş and Ştefania Petreanu); The hopes of Romanian women's sport - Elena Zaharia, table tennis; The hopes of Romanian men's sport - Radu Niţu, fencing;

Team of the year - mixed competitions - Ioana Bîrsan and Lucian Popa, bodybuilding; The hopes of team sport - Norbert and Francesca Maior, motoring; The best administrator in sports - Adela Alexe, Snagov National Complex; The event of the year in sports / The best organization of an international competition in Romania - the European Short Course Swimming Championship, for seniors, from Otopeni; Federation president of the year - Elisabeta Lipă, rowing; Excellence trophy - Simona Radiş, rower awarded to Nicolae Ciucă - double European truck and world champion; The special award of the National Sports Agency / Legend of sport - Mircea Lucescu.