It’s a joyous day for Catalina Ponor. The Romanian Olympic Committee and The Romanian Federation have announced (separately) that Catalina will be Romania’s sole WAG gymnast at the Rio Olympics. Regarding the appointment, Catalina wrote on her Facebook page “(this) day I can not control (my) tears of emotion ❤️ Today I learned that I will represent the country at the Rio and I would be the only gymnast in Romania’s history which will carry the flag at the Olympics. Just the simple fact that they write down words here on Facebook, I make the heart beat faster. Beat like how all the wonderful moments so far, that I gave gymnastics.”
It’s been a terrific year for Catalina Ponor, with major breakthroughs followed by more and hungrier work but also heartbreaks, injury and diligent recovery. She has given everything in competitions large and small and she looked to improve every day, proving that ambition can push you achieve more that what is thought humanly possible.
Larisa Iordache will be a travelling reserve. After two hand surgeries and months of recovery she has not had enough time to show the required progress. But she too will have to be ready. Romania’s rate of injury has been devastatingly high for the past year. Of course, this comes as a major blow. As a two time world all around medalist she should have been given the chance to defend her position in Rio. She is a victim of Romania’s useless team management, of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation’s ineptitude and of unfortunate injuries.
In gymnastics, readiness to compete is all that matters. Catalina is better prepared at the moment. Places in finals and medals are not awarded based on previous results (although reputation was said to weigh a few tenths back in the day). It is a tragic result that of all gymnasts, Larisa who was Romania at the past three World Championships, does not get to compete at the Olympics. But today Catalina is the gymnast with competitions under her belt and well rehearsed routines.
But despite it being a completely logical decision, the actual announcement was yet another passive aggressive political affair between the head of the Olympic Committee and the federation. Alin Petrache (the head of the Olympic Commitee) announced that Catalina had been chosen as flag bearer for the Romanian delegation. That, despite the fact that Catalina had not been officially confirmed as Romania’s rep by the Romanian Gymnastics Federation. This release on the Romanian Gymnastics Federation’s Facebook page, hours after the Romanian Olympic Commitee had already made its own separate announcement, clarified the matters but also gave some extra information on the selection decision:
The presence at the Olympic Games requires compliance from COSR and National Federations, strict rules on time limits for participation and participants, the delegation structure, the positions of each member, including as flag bearer. As a result, in the last meeting of the Executive Committee of COSR was pushing the idea that Romania’s delegation as flag bearer is gymnast Catalina Ponor, a very honorable mission for each sport. After testing the previous period, developments in National Championships, it was observed that the gymnast Catalina Ponor is more advanced in terms of preparation compared to Larisa Iordache, which is why the Romanian Gymnastics Federation agreed with the decision, decision discussed and accepted by the two gymnasts. However, to avoid any contingency it was also decided, as Larisa Iordache to make the trip to Rio, along with a coach, Olympic forum fully supporting this idea. Regarding the appointment of the second gymnast who will take part in the Olympic Games in Rio, along with Marian Dragulescu, recipient of a direct qualification obtained at the World Championships in Glasgow, it will, in all likelihood, Andrei Muntean which, in turn, the final checks proved that it has the best potential. Catalina Ponor designation as Flag Bearer marks a first in the history of Romanian Olympics, marking the first time a representative of gymnastics is entrusted with this mission.
There are no words.
In all the mess created by the “officials”, both Catalina and Larisa have shown maturity, professionalism and wisdom. We continue to support both and we thank them for existing. They are great despite the system, and we celebrate both as heroes.
Article: Bea Gheorghisor
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