Romanian International

The 45th edition of the Romanian International was one without any big-name stars, with both Andreea Răducan and Marius Urzică attending the event as spectators. Urzică hopes to be at the European Championships in Patras, since he feels ready to compete. Andreea sat on the bench alongside her younger teammates, constantly encouraging them. Andreea had just returned from Constanta, where she was resting the past few days. She went back to Deva Sunday, where she will resume training with the rest of the team. “I’m back training at Deva and I hope I will be back in shape in time for Worlds in the fall,” said Andreea.

Junior gymnast Floarea Leonida was a surprise winner in the all-around competition in front of senior Oana Petrovschi. Leonida went on to win two event finals on Sunday, beam with a score of 9.425 and floor with a huge 9.675. She also finished second on bars, always placing ahead of Petrovschi, who was right behind her throughout the entire competition. Netherlands’ Laura van Leeuwen won bars with a 9.350, while Oana Petrovschi claimed the vault title with a score of 9.325. "I didn’t win because I am better than Oana, but [because] I was more consistent, more self-assured. Even though the Junior Europeans will be my first major event, I’m not nervous. We have a very good team, “ said Deva’s latest raising star. Oana Petrovschi, the only senior gymnast from Romania who will compete at the European Championships, added. “I am shouldering a huge responsibility. I am sorry my experienced teammates won’t be there, but I hope I can handle a competition of that magnitude.”

Octavian Belu spent most of his time in the stands. He feels Romanian gymnastics will overcome the difficult period it’s facing right now, since several talented gymnasts emerged in Ploiesti. Belu said he isn’t sure whether or not he’ll go to Europeans, since staying at Deva and working out a plan for the future is always another option. After the competition, Belu got a standing ovation for a gesture he made. He picked up a 6-year old Ploiesti gymnast from the stands and took her out on the floor mat, where he started coaching her symbolically, offering advice and correcting her skills. He also put in a tape and asked the gymnast to perform her floor routine, as he watched carefully. Someone in the audience jokingly asked if he was going to work as a talent scout from now on.

The men’s competition was the highlight of the event, and head coach Dan Grecu is faced with a difficult decision. Unlike the women’s team -decimated by injuries- he almost has too many established gymnasts to chose from. Marian Dragulescu, still recovering from an injury suffered at the end of last year had a total of 55.250 pts, but only the top two gymnasts from each country placed in the official standings. The Maroccan’s [Dragulescu’s nickname] floor routine in the all-around was almost flawless, and earned him a meet-high score of 9.75.

All-around results
Women
1. Floarea Leonida 37.500
2. 2.Oana Petrovschi 36.925
3. Evgenia Kuznetsova (BUL) 36.725
Men
1. Dan Potra 55.950
2. Ioan Suciu 55.800
3. Dominik Daeppen (SWI) 34.200

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