Nicolae Ghita – An Authentic Champion

He was born in 16 October 1967 in Tartasesti, Dambovita. He started to practice free fights, a pretty tough sport for a 14-years old child, and had only one thought: to become an authentic champion. We all know that he did succeed, but about the work and the effort made at training we will find out from the free fights national champion Nicolae Ghita who had the kindness to answer few questions.

Railway Journal: The conceptions of the people living in a small village are very different from the ones of the people living in Bucharest. Tell me, please, which was the opinion of your parents when you have decided to practice this sport?
Nicolae Ghita: At the beginning, they did not have confidence in my forces. They didn’t believe that in the future I would become a real sportsman. They are simple people, living in the countryside and they didn’t have much time to follow the life of the champions. I had some contradictory discussions with them because, being four brothers, each one should have been a householder but I didn’t have much time for anything else but the sport. I was practicing fights for two years when my father told me that I should renounce. I cannot say that it was easy for me, because I had to go to the school every day, to help my parents and to go to training. But I was enjoying a lot what I was doing and therefore I told my father that I would leave for Bucharest if he didn’t allow me to go to training any more.
RJ: Many readers probably want to know how you get to Rapid?
NG: The free fights section of Tartasesti village was affiliated to Rapid and the sportsmen shouldn’t have to go to Bucharest for training. My first trainer, Constantin Badea, was sportsman at Rapid also. After only three years I was transferred to Bucharest. Here, I was taken over by Stelian Popescu. Once arrived in Bucharest, I finished the professional school and afterwards I dedicated myself exclusively to the sport.
RJ: Tell us about your sportive achievements. When did you obtain your first medal and what did you feel then?
NG: As junior, I wasn’t brilliant. As beginner, I considered that the competition is too tough. But this reticence for the competitions disappeared in 1986, when our club organized and international contest. The trainer Stelian Popescu trusted me and told me: “You will participate at this international contest”. His confidence in me gave me a lot of courage: I won the golden medal. This was the beginning of my performances but also the moment when the people form the National Team and from the Federation realized that I was a sportsman with a great potential. In the autumn of the same year, I was included in the National Seniors’ Team and considered a basic member of the team.
During the years, I have obtained remarkable results at national and international contests such as:

• First place in the National Championships for seniors (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1998); the International Championships of Romania (1989, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995); the French Games (1993).
• Second place in the European Championships (1997 – Poland).
• Third place in the National Championships for seniors (1987, 1988,1989).
• Fourth place in the European Championships (1990 – Poland, 1993 – Turkey, 1995 – Switzerland); World Championships (1994 – Turkey).

In the same time I participated at the Olympic Games in Barcelona (1992, seventh place) and Atlanta (1996, ninth place) where the results obtained have been appreciated.
RJ: In 1990, the leadership of the free fights team of Rapid has been taken over by the trainer Zaharia Cornea. What happened with Stelian Popescu?
NG: He retired. Stelian Popescu meant a lot to me. I am saying this thing because he succeeded to create that intimate atmosphere that is needed by every sportsman. He worked with us at training, but his most valuable achievement is that at the National Championships in 1987 –1988, he brought us among the three of the best teams. After 1990, he retired and Zaharia Cornea became the principal trainer.
RJ: Currently, you are activating at a German club. Could you please tell us which are the advantages that you are benefiting from after signing this contract with the Germans?
NG: I cannot say that by signing this contract my revenues increased that much, so that after retirement to stay quietly and not to do anything else. I was offered a home where I can stay till the contract will expire and I benefit from medical insurance. But for me, the most important thing is that I was offered excellent training conditions. In the morning I work alone, in the afternoon, together with a colleague.
RJ: You are married and you have three children, two boys and a girl. How do you succeed to have enough time to take care of them?
NG: I have to admit that my wife helped me a lot in this respect. She practiced sports also but after 1990 she retired in order to take care of the children. Being alone, she had to get through a lot of difficult moments but she was always very comprehensive with me. I spend some time with them when I come home for the national team training or when I succeed to take them with me abroad. Although I had many offers to settle myself abroad, I preferred only to conclude contracts. I did this for them. I would like that at least one of the boys to continue my performances and to succeed even better.
RJ: Which are your thoughts in respect of the European Championships that will take place this year in October, in Turkey?
NG: At the European Championships, the participants are coming with a single purpose, to win. Technically speaking, there are no differences between us. It never happened the same sportsman to become champion two times consecutively. It is a very tough fight. I would like to obtain a medal at these Championships as well as at the Olympic Games at Sydney in 2000. Afterwards, I could retire gloriously.

Oana Bran