Andreea Raducan Interviews

Original articles were published on July 2nd in Gazeta Sporturilor & Evenimetul Zilei

Andreea Raducan is back in the news now that her retirement ceremony is set to take place at the end of the National Championships in Bacau.
She talked to Romanian newspapers Gazeta Sporturilor and Evenimentul Zilei about her upcoming retirement.

“I’m happy. Even though my mind wanders back to Australia once in a while.”

GS: Andreea, you announced your retirement last year. Why hold this ceremony in Bacau?
AR: This isn’t the first event of its kind in Romania and I believe I've proven I deserve a special retirement [ceremony] by the results I’ve had throughout the years. In any case, the idea came more from the federation [than from me]. I didn’t help out with anything, so I’m also curious to see how things will go on Sunday.
GS: What’s the most important moment of your career?
AR: There are two of them, actually : Sydney and the Worlds in Ghent. The Olympics were a beautiful dream, and then some sad moments. Obviously, I cried at first, but then, knowing I did my job and the world saw my performance, I calmed down a bit. Besides, the team victory was fantastic. In Ghent, what mattered was my comeback to the forefront, when many thought the events in Australia would be too much for me.
GS: Did Andreea Raducan the athlete make any mistakes?
AR: I don’t think so. Sure, I made a few comments about some things when I had some experience and a different personality. I don’t think there were any mistakes because whenever I look back, I know I realized my dreams. If I were to wake up when I was 17, realizing I hadn’t accomplished anything in sports and likewise in school, then I could have talked about mistakes.

Even though she did well in her first year of school at the Sports University in Timisoara, Andreea would like to try another career. “I don’t think I’ll stay in the sports world. I’m not interested in a coaching career because you need to have patience and an iron hand, and I’m not like that. I would like to try majoring in communications,” said the former gymnast who wants to move to Bucharest. “The apartments in Bucharest are a little bit expensive. I know people think I have a ton of money, but that’s not true. I have enough to make a decent living,” she added.

Evenimentul Zilei Interview

EZ: Good afternoon, Andreea. Are you getting ready for the ceremony at the end of the week?
AR: Good afternoon. No, I have other things on my mind now. I’m in a big time crisis; I have a ton of work. I need to finish things up at school, then go to Bucharest. I’ll only have time to worry about other things in a few days.
EZ: How will your retirement go? Are you planning to do a short gala performance?
AR: I won’t go up on any apparatus. After the event finals, a ceremony will be held where all the people who’ve been alongside me through the years will take part. My parents will be there, as well as Octavian Belu and Mariana Bitang, my mentors at Deva. I really hope Mr. Tiriac will be there.
EZ: How do you feel in your new role, as a ‘retired’ person?
AR: I don’t feel retired [in the sense of ‘old’] at all. On the contrary! Taking into account the fact that I started gymnastics when I was 4 years old, I think I had a fairly long career. I’ll be 20 in a few weeks. It’s absolutely normal to have this happen. That’s the way life goes; I have to make room for others. And here, in Romania, a gymnast’s career ends around the age of 20-21.
EZ: You’re not nervous?
AR: Yes, I am but I can honestly tell you I wouldn’t have wanted to go on. I felt I couldn’t be first anymore. What would have been the point, if I didn’t win? It’s a matter of ego. I saw what it’s like to have the national anthem played for you. I couldn’t bare look up to others [on the podium].
EZ: Maybe you could have lasted another year…
AR: It wouldn’t have been worth it. In Romania, all you need to do is take one wrong step and you don’t feel alive anymore. Everyone starts talking about you like you’re dead. “Look at that one, poor thing! Woe is he…what he was and what he is now…” I’m not saying that’s gossip, but that’s the mentality. I’d rather avoid scenes like that.

EZ: What are you doing now?
AR: I’m in Timisoara and I’m getting ready to finish my first year of college. I’m leaving for Bucharest on Wednesday to try and buy an apartment I want. I’ll stay in the capital longer in the next few months. I did 20 hours of driving school in Timisoara. I’ll do 10 more in Bucharest and in two weeks, I’ll take the driving license test.
EZ: How’s your love life?
AR: Good, even very good! I’ve had a boyfriend for 6 months, a gymnast. For now, it’s more difficult because I’m in Timisoara and he’s in Bucharest. We see each other once every two weeks.
EZ: Bit seldom…
AR: Yes, that’s true…bit seldom. But maybe that’s for the better: seldom, but good!

EZ: Lately you’ve been receiving a lot of proposals to ‘lend’ your name for various products and objects. How did you receive these proposals?.
AR: I was interested. Mr. Porumboiu, who has business ventures in Moldova, where he sells dairy and bakery products thought I should promote his products. Perhaps he chose me because I’m also from Moldova. He actually called me a few days ago to talk about some details. He’s waiting for me at the end of the week to finalize our discussions.
EZ: What do you think about the Andreea doll?
AR: I liked it from the start! It was a journalist’s idea. I knew that a doll named after Nadia Comaneci was manufactured 20 years ago, but she didn’t look like the gymnasts whose name she borrowed. I thought about my fans in Asia. I’m very popular there and I know a doll with my name would make them very happy. It remains to be seen how people in Romania will react.
EZ: Did you sign the contract?
AR: Yes, everything’s been notarized and things are moving along.
EZ: How much money did you make from these business contracts?
AR: I don’t talk about money. I’m not avoiding the issue, but I’m tired of always hearing "look at this one, how much money she’s making at 19!”

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