Rio Olympics 2016: Who represents Romania?

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