Gabriela Szabo
Scandal, victory, amazement

Although she was involved in a recent scandal, the preferred athlete of all railway men started a new string of victories at the official contest in Dortmund on the 1500 meters trial that she won. A victory that should have pleased our athlete but…” I won but I must confess I made many mistakes. I ran like a schoolgirl in training, I had many brakes in rhythm but eventually it went all right,” stated Gabi Szabo. She also wanted to mention that this unsatisfactory performance is not in any way due to her fight with Violeta Beclea - Szeckely: “I really wasn’t too affected because I managed to keep my spirits high. I was in Holland when it happened and the scandal was in Romania. I learned the news last. Not only was I kept out of the loop but also I must say that nobody told me the truth. Everybody wanted a scandal. That is why I believe the press bears a great part of the fault. This dispute could have been avoided.”
Gabi said about the Dortmund run that she was not running for a new world title even though there were two other Romanians in the run. She only wanted to make good time but it didn’t happen.
She took her revenge though. On the 3000 meter trial at the athletic reunion in Birmingham Gabriela Szabo erased from the board the oldest record. She won with a time of 8:23.87, a result that set a world record. The former best time was managed by Dutch Elly von Hulst (8:33.82) and dated back to 1989. Violeta Beclea Szeckely also participated to the run and established a personal record (8:46.39).
Although she did not go off to a good start, Gabi managed to remain alone on the track after half a run and she kept her timing. She finished the 3000 meter run in the applause of the spectators and added a new record to her trophies and a new world record for the IAAF statistics, next to two other world titles for 5000 meters and four indoors - one for 1500 meters and three for 3000 meters. We will say that she also won two European titles for 3000 meters (in 1998 and 2000) and she is one of the favorites at the World Championships in Barcelona in March as AFP stated, through Rompress.
At the end of the race Gabi said: “I felt I was going to establish a new world record after the first two laps. I felt relaxed although I would have liked to have some back-up to give me a boost.”
Back to the scandal we have to say that before the Birmingham contest Gabi knew nothing of the possibility (although she did not overrule it) that Violeta Szeckely would take part in the contest: “As I said before, I was withheld nothing from Violeta and I never will. She is a good athlete and if she will run today she will motivate me to run better,” Gabi stated. She also said that this scandal is over and she only wishes that something like that will never happen again. She does not wish to upset her image and she does not want the people in the country and especially the children to get the wrong impression.
Anyway this scandal modified a bit her image. For better of for worse we do not know because meanwhile things took another turn. Foreign reporters present at the press conference after she won the 1500-meter run in Dortmund wanted to see her photographs in Playboy. “Everybody wanted me to show them the magazine. Why? I asked - I never took picture naked. The British and those from L’equipe were especially cute. They wanted me to give them the magazine to see for themselves.” She does not believe that the fact she appeared in Playboy is not a cause for shame. “I would never take my clothes off in front of a camera. It’s just who I am,” she said at the end of the press conference.
During 9 - 11 March the World Championships will take place in Barcelona. Gabi Szabo will be there along with other great Romanian athletes. She said she will try to brake the 1500-meter record at a reunion programmed for March 4 but she also said that she believes she will be unable to defend her title in Portugal. “It would be impossible to do both” declared the athlete.
We wish them all good luck.

Rapid CFR Bucharest needs cheering up

Even tough a qualification would have brought great joy to our souls we must not be too rough with our girls but have trust that they will be able to gather their strength to state a new victory chain.
The feminine handball team Rapid CFR was eliminated in the World Cup by the powerful Ukraine team Motor Zaporoje. The girls were defeated in the first game (32 - 17). They tried to reduce the difference in Giulesti and even to lead but near the final Elena Tigita and Olena Reznir from Motor Zaporoje turned the fate. The final whistle enede the game with 25 - 25 (8 - 10)

 

Oana Bran reporting