The national rugby team won Romania’s first Olympic medal at the 1924 Olympics. The “triangles” won bronze in the competition, which initially brought only three teams: the United States, France and Romania. Chapter 6 of the series “Romanian Olympics” It focuses on the first Romanian medalist in Olympic history: the 1924 national rugby team.
Romania first competed in the Olympics in 1900, the second edition of the modern Olympics, after Athens in 1896. In that version of the competition, Alexandre Giorgio Blagino was the first competitor in the history of our country at the Olympics. In the shooting test, the competitor, an athlete from Dumbraveni, finished 13th.
The gap of 24 years continued until the return of the Romanian athletes to the 1924 Olympics in Paris. Since then, Romania has missed only two editions of the Summer Olympics: Los Angeles 1932 and London 1948.
The story of the first Olympic medal in Romanian history! Rugby players paid for their trip
However, the first medal in Romanian history at the Olympics came in 1924 in Paris. Romania rugby team Initially entered the tournament combining the other two teams: France and the United States.
If our country did not participate in rugby, the tournament would have been canceled as all three countries were forced to participate. The United Kingdom initially announced its participation, but dropped out, leaving all three countries with medals.
It was an important effort on the part of the athletes. Rugby players had to pay for their own train journey to Paris and make their own equipment. After a few days of travel, the athletes arrived in Paris. Until the Olympics, Romania had played only one rugby match in its entire history.
Theodore Florin scored the only points for Romania! Athlete, in terms of competition
On May 4, 1924, the Romanian team met France. Host Country won 59-3, our team’s points were scored by Theodore Florin. The French scored 18 attempts, but despite the huge score, Theodore Florin was noted for his excellent defensive play, which managed to prevent multiple attacks from the French.
10 days later, on May 10, 1924, Romania met with the United States. Again an opponent is too strong for us, the score for the Americans is 37-0. In fact, the United States defeated France in the final to become the Olympic champion. But the competition put Romania on the Olympic stage for the first time.
In 2012, the IRP introduced the 1924 Romanian team to the Hall of Fame
The Romanian team was selected from three existing clubs: the Romanian Stadium, the Student Sports and the Romanian Tennis Club. Most of the rugby players are from the Stadiul Roman Club, a club promoted by Nicole Moroz 10 years ago, after the State Francois model.
Romania’s first medalists in Olympic history are: 1. Dumitru Armeel, 2. Eugene “Goku” Sfedescu, 3. Sorin Mihalescu, 4. Theodore Marion, 5 Sore Sterion, 6. Ioship A. Name, 7. Paul Nedalkovic, 8 Mihai Vardala, 9. Athanasius Tennessee, 10 Dumitru ‘Puya’ Volvorenu, 11 Paul Vidrasku, 12 Mircia Sfedesku, 13. Nicola ‘na’ Meroz (Captain), 14. Giorgio Benia, 15. Theodore Florian. Reserves: 16. Nicola Anastasiat, 17. Constantine Gratunescu, 18. Ian Corlestonu, 19. Constantine Ionescu, 20. Petre Culescu, 21. Octav Luchsite, 22. Henry Manucius, 23. Iron Cossiocio.
The Romanian rugby team has gained another important distinction since 1924, almost 100 years later. The International Rugby Federation was inducted into the 2012 Hall of Fame national team to win a bronze medal at the Paris Olympics.
- 97 years old They won the first Olympic medal in Romanian history
- 3 points Romania scored in matches against France and the United States
