Terminator

“Did you see Rares? Does he ever look good! Look what he’s wearing today!” That just about sums up the female gymnasts’ conversation whenever Rares Orzată is around the gym. Those who know him say he’s very popular among the girls, and not just the Romanians. Female gymnasts from outside the country line up trying to attract his attention. Unfortunately for them, Rares has a steady girlfriend of a year and a half, none other than Mihaela Pohoată, member of the national aerobic team. Miki, as her boyfriend calls her, won Rares over with her open, warm personality. “I’ve fallen head over heals for her. How could we talk about [other] women?”, he asks smiling, when asked about other girlfriends he’s had. The two met at a restaurant, where Rares was celebrating his birthday. “It was very weird, because I invited her, but I wasn’t interested in her. Actually, that was a mutual feeling, so we spent the entire evening ignoring each other. I have no idea how we became so close. All I can tell you is our feelings for each other developed naturally, without much need for outside help,” he recalls.

Currently a key member of the Romanian men’s team, Rares Orzată isn’t known just for his performances inside the gym, but also for being a free spirit. Maybe that’s why his long-term relationship with Mihaela seems hard to believe. The red car he drives was full of girls a few years back. “What’s the big deal? The girls came to me because it was easy for them too get a ride from me. It’s not like I was going out with all of them,” he explains. Teammate Ioan Suciu who happens to be nearby while Rares tells his story blurts out "Don’t be modest!" Meanwhile, Mihaela Pohoată also stops by. When asked what she likes best about her boyfriend, she answers “He likes kissing me.” Rares feels the need to back up his girlfriend’s answer with a quick peck on the cheek “for the whole world to see,” as he explains laughing. Then he turns serious once again, saying “After this year’s World Championships, we’re going to the Dominican Islands. I want Miki to have a dream vacation.” The next logical question, “When’s the wedding?” made the two look at each other, and explain that it’s too early to think about that yet.

Rares confessed he has a penchant for black underwear. “It makes a nice contrast with the white sheets.” He expects “everything” from his future wife, because he also offers her everything. “We only have one life and we have to live it to its fullest, right? He asks for approval from his teammates. “Do I strip? Where did that question come from?? Of course I do. Every day. When I take a shower,” he completes the jokes. He forgot to add whether he takes the shower alone or not. According to him, the ideal woman should look like Meg Ryan. As his teammates smile, he bursts out “What, you don’t like her? Your opinion doesn’t really matter anyway!” Besides gymnastics, he loves playing tennis. He’d like to be a model someday, or play the leading role in a romantic movie. “Everyone says I have talent. We have to believe them,” he adds trying not to laugh.

Although Rares had more than a few relationships, the one who meant the most to him was the one with Gina Gogean. In order to see her, Rares drove from Bucharest to Deva so many times he knows where “every tree” is along that road. Moreover, they were also engaged at one point and talks of marriage started surfacing. Fate had different plans for the two of them, and they’re both in love with someone else right now.

One thing’s for sure. Girlfriend or no girlfriend, Rares Orzată makes many victims among his teenage fans, who see him not just as a great gymnast, but as the man of their dreams.

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