At World Athleticism
Championships from Edmond, which took place between 3-12 August, the Romanian delegation
also comprised the white cherry red representatives, namely, Gabriela Szabo and Violeta
Beclea-Szekely. The two big sportswomen have performed the 1500 m race, Gabi trying to
establish the new record at 5000 meters.
The last important competition where Gabi and Violeta have participated in the same race
was the Olympic final of 1500 meters in Sydney. The fight between them made them loose the
golden medal in front of the Algerian Nouria Benida-Merah, Violeta taking the second place
and Gabi the third place.
This year, Gabi Szabo ran 1500 meters only in a few indoor competitions. She became vice
champion at this race in 1996, in Atlanta, after losing the qualification for the 5000
meters final. Two years later, she became the world indoor champion in Maebashi, her
ulterior participation being occasional, in order to improve her speed for 3000 and 5000
meters races.
Violeta Beclea-Szekely did never change 1500 meters race, where she obtained notable
performances, her first golden medal being gained at the European indoor races in 2000.
Till then she did not mount but only on the second place of the podium: she gained the
Olympic silver at Sydney and twice the world indoor silver. Rapid sportswoman entered in
competition at Edmonton as world leader of the year and the winner of the four stages of
Golden League.
Gold and Silver at 1500 Meters Race
On August 7,
at 4.35 (Romanian hour), has been programmed the 1500 meters final, race where our
representatives were the favorites. They passed the series stage and the semifinals
without direct confrontation, Gabi Szabo as well as Violeta Beclea winning relaxed the
races; of course, each of the two runners wishing to keep the first place, even if they
could obtain the qualification from the second place.
The final was performed in a rapid rhythm , imposed by the Russian Natalia Gorelova, fact
that was pretty advantageous for the Romanian sportswomen. Gabi attacked on the last tour,
detaching decisively from the column and passing the arrival line in 4:00.57. Not even her
fellow countrywoman did not succeed to reach her, Violeta arriving on the second place in
4:01.70. Immediately after the finish, the fresh champion has congratulated her rival, the
two sportswomen performing the honor tour holding their hands, Constnatin Mihail, the
manager of the Romanian delegation in Canada, who was in the tribune, gave them the
three-colored flag and the medal winners continuing their run carrying the flag.
Thus, and this day will enter in the history of the Romanian athleticism, the sportive
honors lists of the two Rapid Club athletes being improved with two new so desired
performances: Gabi Szabo won for the first time the world champion title on this distance,
while Violeta Becleac-Szekely obtained her first out world medal from her career.
Gabriela Szabo: "I am so happy for winning. As for the 5000 meters race, we shall
see".
Violeta Becle-Szekely: "I am not disappointed that I was placed on the second
position, because this is a very good result for me. I congratulate Gabriela Szabo for her
victory, but this does not mean that I pass over what happened between us".
5000 Meters … a Bitter Taste
After her victory obtained in
the 1500 meters race, Gabi Szabo was defeated in the final of 5000 meters race, which took
place on August 13, the race for which our athlete decided to participate in the last
"moment".
Previous to this race, the disputed case of Olga Egorova, who was tracked positive at EPO
after a doping test on July 6, on the occasion of the Golden League reunion in Paris,
issued a big scandal between the sports. The Russian won three times consequently against
Gabi Szabo this year, all 3000 meters races. In spite of the issued scandal, Russia
participated at the Wold Championship in Edmonton with Egorova in the team.
As a protest, the representative of white-cherry red team, Gabi Szabo announced,
initially, that she will not participate in this race within WC if the Russian sportswoman
tested positive with eritropoietin (EPO) will be authorized to compete in this race.
Ulterior, Gabi changed her mind.
My Adversary, "the Robot"
Before the 5000 meters series,
the International Athleticism Federation announced the result of the second doping control
for EPO discovering that the Russian made at Edmonton was negative. "Among the 11
samples sent to the lab in Lausanne, just one has been found positive", affirmed the
officials, without making the guilty sports' name public; IAAF mentioned that it is not
the Russian athlete.
On Saturday, August 13, it was the day when our Gabriela Szabo proposed to gain a new
world record .. even against "the robot" , Olga Egorova. Every spectator and
tele-spectator watched closely the two rivals, each of them wondering which will be the
end of the 15 minutes of running.
The video cameras were watching insistently the faces of Gabi Szabo, which was tortured,
squeezing her teeth to stay in front of the platoon, and a detached Egorova, maybe
undecipherable. There has been a slow rhythm until the platoon detached, and Gabi could
not keep up. The Russian maintained among the first five positions, and with 300 meters
before the finish, she detached from the column, arriving on the first place. Our
representative arrived on the eighth place, exhausted.
Waited with hooting by the spectators, Olga Egorova did not perform the honor tour,
entering rapidly to the lockers. Even if the tribune scanned continuously 'Szabo!,
Szabo!", the result could not be changed.
My Opinion About You, Your Opinion About Me
"Egorova is not a
champion here. I wanted to run in order to demonstrate that I am not afraid of the
Russians, but I am convinced now that I can not win against "robots", said
Gabriela Szabo, adding "there have been so many races for me only in a few days. This
is the reason why I ran so today".
"I am not the type of person that needs medals. I could gave it as present to anyone.
Real life is represented by the children, parents. In sport, one day you win, another day
you loose. Only God chooses", declared Olga Egorova, who also added: "Gabi is a
great sportswoman. I wish her the best. I do not feel anger against her or anyone else. I
would not wish to anyone what I have experienced until the decision that gave me the right
to participate at the race was made".
Between competitions, the members of karate team of Bucharest Rapid Sport Club had the time to speak a few minute with us about their new performances obtained at the National Championship from this year, at individual an teams. With respect to the results recorded on teams, the boys were not so satisfied, but, as they said, taking into consideration the fact that they are in the formation period (the majority of them coming from juniors), "the third place can be declared as a good start, even a promising one". On the other hand, the girls declared themselves fully satisfied, winning the title of national champions and establishing a real record, National Championship 2001 (seniors) is the sixth consecutive edition when they are placed on the first place on the podium.
Opinions and Thoughts
Stefania Sandu Anghel (first place, 53 kg.):
"I worked hard to obtain this performance. The national champion title satisfies us,
me, as well as my husband (here it is necessary to mention that Stefania is married for a
few months ), who, even if he is not a sportsman, he is always next to me and encourages
me in everything I do. I did not consider it a difficult competition, and my adversary
have been as I expected them to be. Even if I was nervous, as I am always before every
competition, I was able to overpass these emotions in order to concentrate on the game.
Now, that is over, I can tell you that it was a quite easy championship. As for the
international competition that are approaching I have to recognize that it will be a
higher level in point of difficulty, fact that means more training, till the last moment
and… to leave the emotions at home". 
Magdalena Calin (first place, 60 kg):
I was expecting to obtain the champion title because I am very sure of I what I am doing.
The final was a bit more difficult because I had as adversary my colleague and my friend
Iuliana Grosu. For me this champion title means the second performance obtained at senior
team. I am glad that I started right , even if I was a bit nervous when I left from
juniors team. I recognize that it is much more difficult at seniors, but the fact that
when I was a junior I trained next to my older colleagues represented a trump for me. As
the competition level is increased year by year, I have to recognize that I had some
difficulties, but wishing to win helped me very much. It is quite nice to be a
champion".
Iuliana Grosu (second place, 60 kg)
"The impediment" in this competition was my good colleague Magdalene Calin, and
I think she had a better day than me. But this is it for now, I only have to concentrate
at the next competitions and I will win for sure. It won't be easy because for my category
(60 kg) there are a lot of valuable sportswomen".
Simona Tudorache (second place, +60 kg):
"I can not say that this year started all right for me. This second place determines
me to think that I have to work harder. Maybe I did not have the necessary mood, maybe the
emotions were too big or maybe my adversary made me problems because she came from a
category that is based on speed most of all. I am not represented by the second place,
being used to hold the champion title, obtained the last year, as well as two years ago. I
propose to regain the first place on the podium even at the next championship".
Raluca Grigoras (third place, 60 kg):
"I am satisfied with this third place because it is my first participation at the
seniors competition and, honestly speaking, I did not expect to win any medal. I am an
emotive kind of person and that's why I need time in order to integrate in the playing
style of these category".
Cristian Stoica (first place, 60 kg):
"Until the final everything went according to my expectations, meaning pretty easy.
But the adversary from Dinamo Club in the final forced me to concentrate more, and the one
point difference demonstrates the fact that it was a tight fight. I can tell that it
seemed to me a pretty easy championship, but the European championships are coming next
and also world championships, and I can not tell the same things about them. But we have
to do our best to demonstrate that, although we are a fresh seniors team, the concurrence
can not scare us".
Sorin Alexandru (third place, -75kg):
"I wished to become a champion, but I expected too much. It is well said the best
defense is the attack. My adversary counted on that and won. But the next championship I
hope to be able to adopt the best fighting tactic, in order to win the champion title. Now
I have to make a good job with the team within the European championship from
Turkey".
Andrei Tamasi (third place, -75 kg):
"I came to Rapid from Targoviste, four years ago. I can say that my training level is
higher in the Capital. That's why, I realize that I have to intensify my training program.
The result obtained in the present championship does not satisfy me at all. Although my
adversary was not so good, due to a mistake I lost the qualification on the semifinals. I
had a bit of bad luck, because I had to compete at other category, because my colleague
Alexandru was participating at 75kg category and we thought that it would not be bad if we
both win the golden medal at different categories. But, it was not so. We hope that this
objective to be achieved the next year".
The seriousness that the two coaches, Mihaela and Daniel Iorga, impose, the team spirit,
and the hard work at the training and also the ambition to win brought to these two sports
the recognition on internal plan, as well as on international plan. I wish the young
karateka within Bucharest Rapid Club a lot of successes in the future European and world
championships.
World Kayak - Canoe Championships in Brasilia are Closer and Closer
The sportsmen of kayak - canoe CFR Locomotiva section have improved this year their sportive results with other seven medals gained at home and international competitions for juniors and seniors. Being in training phase for the national championship for seniors, rail canoe performers hope that their efforts to be well rewarded.
For these champions the performances obtained in the numerous attended competitions have a special significance, representing a well-deserved reward for the uncountable number of work hours and, in the same time, an answer full of gratitude towards those that support them, among which we can mention their coach, Mr. Constantin Carstoi, Mr. Mihai Neicu, the vice president of the club, and, not at last, towards those that they represent the rail men. Although their results are not public spread out, we have to know that the respective sportsmen have recorded a lot of victories. The value of this section is given by the numerous national champions' titles and several silver and bronze medals gained on internal plan, as well as on international plan.
Kayak canoe section will be represented at the World Championship in Brasilia by the sportsman Ionica Iulian, component of the national junior lot and winner of five medals in the competitions developed till present time, whom we wish a lot of success and, why not, we can wish him the well known stimulus "break a leg!"
Pages written down by
Oana Bran
