Romania will be represented by 96 athletes at the Rio Olympics, which start on August 5. The Olympic Games are the most important sports event of the year, with some 10,500 athletes from 207 countries, who compete in 42 sports disciplines.

Romania’s team at Rio includes two Olympic champions, namely Alin Moldoveanu (shooting) and Catalina Ponor (gymnastics), and six other medal winners. The most important athlete missing from the Romanian delegation is tennis star Simona Halep, who decided to withdraw from the Olympics due to the risks posed by Zika.

Another bad news for Romania is that both the women’s and the men’s artistic gymnastics teams have failed to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. This represents the end of an era for Romania, as the women’s gymnastics team has won medals at every Olympics since 1976, the year when Nadia Comaneci got the perfect score of 10 at the Olympic Games in Montreal. Artistic gymnastics is the sport that has brought Romania most Olympic medals – 25 gold, 21 silver, and 26 bronze.

At this year's Olympics, not all of the athletes from Romania’s team were actually born in Romania. Four of them were born in other countries, namely Ivan Guidea – wrestling, born in the Republic of Moldova, Albert Saritov – wrestling, born in Russia, Serghei Tvetcov – cycling, born in the Republic of Moldova, and Dumitru Captari – weightlifting, born in the Republic of Moldova.

Besides the 96 athletes, the Romanian delegation also includes reserves and training partners as well as coaches and officials.

Romania's Olympic team:

Athletics: Elena Daniela Cîrlan, Paula Claudia Todoran, Marius Viorel Ionescu, Nicolae Alexandru Soare – marathon; Andreea Arsine, Claudia Nicoleta Ştef, Ana Veronica Rodean – 20 km walk; Marius Iulian Cocioran, Narcis Ştefan Mihăilă – 50 km walk; Alina Rotaru - long jump; Elena Andreea Panţuroiu, Cristina Ioana Bujin, Marian Oprea – triple jump; Florina Pierdevară – 800 m; Bianca Denisa Răzor – 400 m; Andrei Marius Gag – shot put; Ancuţa Bobocel – 3000 m steeplechase; Claudia Mihaela Bobocea – 800 m; Sanda Belgyan, Anamaria Ioniţă, Andreea Miklos, Adelina Dorina Pastor – 4x400 m relay.

Boxing: Mihai Nistor (+91 kg)

Rowing: Constantin Adam, Vlad Dragoş Aicoboae, Marius Vasile Cozmiuc, Toader Andrei Gonţaru – patru rame fără cârmaci; George Alexandru Palamariu, Cristi Ilie Pîrghie – doi rame; Laura Oprea, Mihaela Petrilă, Ioana Strungaru, Mădălina Bereş, Adelina Maria Bogus, Andreea Nicoleta Boghian, Roxana Gabriela Cogianu, Daniela Druncea, Iuliana Popa – opt rame cu cârmaci; Elena Lavinia Tarlea (cu Laura Oprea) – doi rame; Ionela Livia Lehaci, Gianina Elena Beleagă – dublu vasle categorie usoara Denisa Tilvescu is a reserve

Cycling – Road: Serghei Ţvetcov

Gymnastics: Cătălina Ponor, Marian Drăgulescu, and Andrei Vasile Muntean; Larisa Andreea Iordache is a reserve

Weightlifting – Andreea Aanei (+75 kg), Florina Sorina Hulpan (69 kg), Dumitru Captari (77 kg), Gabriel Sîncrăian (85 kg)

Handball – Valentina Neli Ardean Elisei, Aurelia Brădeanu, Florina Maria Chintoan, Laura Chiper, Melinda Anamaria Geiger, Oana Andreea Manea, Ionica Munteanu, Cristina Georgiana Neagu, Gabriela Perianu, Ibolya Gabriella Szucs, Camelia Hotea, Paula Claudia Ungureanu, Eliza Iulia Buceschi, Patricia Maria Vizitiu. There are also two reserves: Denisa Ştefania Dedu and Maria Madalina Zamfirescu

Judo: Corina Oana Căprioriu (57 kg), Andreea Ştefania Chiţu (52 kg), Elena Monica Ungureanu (48 kg), Ilie Daniel Natea (+100 kg). There are also two training partners: Loredana Ohâi and Mircea Croitoru

Wrestling: Alin Alexuc Ciurariu (98 kg), Ion Iulian Panait (66 kg) – Greco-Roman wrestling, Emilia Alina Vuc (48 kg), Ivan Guidea (57 kg) (Moldova), Albert Saritov (97 kg) (Rusia) – free wrestling

Swimming: Alin Coste, Robert Andrei Glinţă, Daniel Macovei, Marius Radu, Norbert Trandafir, and Ana Iulia Dascăl.

Fencing: Ana Maria Branza, Malina Calugareanu, Simona Gherman, Simona Pop, and Tiberiu Alexandru. Loredana Dinu is a reserve

Tennis: Irina Camelia Begu, Monica Niculescu, Horia Tecau, Florin Mergea, Cristina Andreea Mitu, and Ioana Raluca Olaru

Table tennis: Daniela Dodean, Elizabeta Samara, Bernadette Szocs, Adrian Crisan, and Ovidiu Ionescu

Shooting: Alin Moldoveanu

Rhythmic Gymnastics: Ana Luiza Filiorianu

Romanian artistic gymnast Catalina Ponor will be Romania’s flag bearer at the opening ceremony. The Olympic Games will end on August 21.

Romania won nine medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, namely two gold, five silver, and two bronze. Sandra Izbasa won gold for Romania in the artistic gymnastics competition, and so did Alin Moldoveanu in the shooting section. The silver medals went to Catalina Ponor (artistic gymnastics), Roxana Cocos (weightlifting), Alina Dumitru and Corina Caprioriu (judo), and the fencing team. The country’s artistic gymnastics team won the bronze medal, as well as Razvan Martin (weightlifting).

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Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com