The World Rowing Championships, held in Racice, the Czech Republic, last week, made the perfect opportunity for the Romanian delegation to win four gold medals. Ionela Cozmiuc won gold in the women's lightweight race. Marius Cozmiuc and Sergiu Bejan, in the men's double sculls, then Ancuţa Bodnar and Simona Radiş, in the women's pair, won gold. Also gold went to Romanian women's coxed eight crew. Having won the world title in the women's pair, Simona Radis was a member of the coxed eight crew, and, for a second time around, won the gold medal. Radio Romania International was spoiled for choice this week, since it had no less than 13 world champions to choose from, in a bid to designate the Athlete of the week.
Simona Radiș was born on April 5, 1999 in northern Romania's Botosani. She is currently signed up by Steaua Bucharest sports club. For three years now, Simona's stunning performances so far have been possible only pairing up with Ancuta Bodnar in the lightweight women's pair boat. Their first notable performance occurred in early June 2019, when Radis and Bodnar walked away with gold at the European Championships held in Lucerne, Switzerland. Then in September 2019, the two world the silver medals at the World Championships in Linz, Austria. At the subsequent major competitions, that is in Poland's Poznan, in 2020 and in Varese, Italy, in 2021, Ancuta Bodnar and Simona Radiş won gold. Also in 2021, the two won the Romanian delegation's only Olympic title, at the Tokyo Olympics. In 2022, Radis and Bodnar won another European title in Munich and, fairly recently the gold medals in Racice. (EN)