Romania won 35 medals at the IISA 6th Ice Swimming World Championship held between January 13-19 in Molveno, Italy.

Eight of the medals were won in the overall rankings, of which two gold, two silver, and four bronze. Another 27 medals were earned in the age category rankings - ten gold, nine silver, and eight bronze.

"Romania has once again demonstrated that it remains one of the strongest teams in this discipline. [...] More and more countries we compete with on equal terms, such as France, Germany, and Poland, are funded by specialized federations, while in Romania ice swimming is still not officially recognized as a sport branch," said Paul Georgescu, the president of the Romanian Open and Ice Water Swimming Association, in a post on Facebook.

The event, organized by the International Ice Swimming Association, brought together athletes from 35 countries. The Romanian team was composed of 20 athletes, both professionals and amateurs, aged between 17 and 52. 

Ice swimming involves swimming in water with a temperature below 5 degrees Celsius, wearing only a silicone cap, a pair of goggles, and a standard swimming suit. The Association, founded in 2009, has established a comprehensive set of safety rules for athletes, and official competitions also result in world records. 

Currently, the association has members in 73 countries. Over half of them, including Romania, have swimmers who have completed at least one kilometer. The association's goal is to introduce ice swimming into the category of Winter Olympic sports.

radu@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Paul Georgescu on Facebook)