Romanian fencer specializing in épée, Ana Maria Brânză is a two-time Olympic silver medalist at the 2008 Beijing and 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics, an Olympic team champion at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro edition, a three-time world champion (2019 individual, 2010, and 2011 team), and a seven-time European champion (2013 individual and 2006, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2014, and 2015 team). Throughout her career, she has won 14 World Cup tournaments and is an ambassador for university sports.
Former Romanian fencer, gold medalist at the 2000 Olympic Games, bronze medalist at the 2008 Olympics, and world champion in 2005. He is currently the head coach of CS Dinamo Bucharest and the Romanian men’s Olympic saber team. Additionally, he serves as the president of the Romanian Fencing Federation and, since 2016, the president of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee.
A magna cum laude graduate of McNeese State University (Louisiana, USA) in Communication and Sports Marketing, with a master’s degree in Educational Psychology, Diana Pirciu holds UEFA certifications in Football Management and a UEFA Diploma in Football and Leadership Management. She is responsible for the FRF Academy, an e-learning platform that promotes sports and develops sports education in Romania.
Tiberiu Ușeriu won the 6633 Arctic Ultra three times in a row (2016-2018), a race considered one of the toughest in the world, as it takes place in the Arctic Circle. Covering 566 km in temperatures dropping as low as -52°C (-61°F), this extreme challenge tests the limits of human endurance.
Horia Tecău, the highest-ranked Romanian tennis player in ATP history, specializes in doubles. In 2015, he reached World No. 2 and won 38 ATP doubles titles, including three Masters 1000 events. He also secured a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics alongside Florin Mergea.
A three-time Grand Slam champion, Tecău won Wimbledon 2015 and the 2017 US Open in men’s doubles with Jean-Julien Rojer, as well as the 2012 Australian Open mixed doubles title with Bethanie Mattek-Sands. Additionally, he reached five more Grand Slam finals: Wimbledon 2010, 2011, and 2012 in men’s doubles with Robert Lindstedt, and Australian Open 2014 and 2016 in mixed doubles.
Currently, he serves as the non-playing captain of Romania’s Billie Jean King Cup team and is a UNICEF ambassador.
Denisa Dragomir, the 2021 Skyrunning World Champion, dominated the Skyrunning World Cup circuit by winning all five races she participated in, including the prestigious final race. Her outstanding performance secured her the world champion title in the discipline.
Professional tennis player Ilie Năstase was one of the most prominent players of the 1970s, reaching World No. 1 twice, in 1972 and 1973. Out of his 83 career titles, 58 were officially recorded by the ATP. Over his career, he won 58 titles, including Grand Slam victories at the US Open, Wimbledon, and Roland Garros, along with the Masters Grand Prix (ATP Finals).
Năstase represented Romania in the Davis Cup, partnering long-term with Ion Țiriac and reaching the final three times. In 2005, TENNIS Magazine ranked him 28th in its list of the “40 Greatest Players of the Last 40 Years.” He was named Romania’s Best Athlete of the Year four times (1969, 1972, 1973, and 1974).
Emil Boc, Mayor of Cluj-Napoca, is a graduate of the Faculty of History and Philosophy and the Faculty of Law in Cluj. Since 1996, he has been a registered lawyer with the Cluj Bar Association. In 2000, he earned a PhD in Political Science and Political Philosophy, as well as a PhD candidacy in Constitutional Law and Political Institutions. Currently, he is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Political, Administrative, and Communication Sciences and the Faculty of Law at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj. He has served as President of the PDL and held the position of Prime Minister of Romania (2008-2012).
“I arrived here, at Sports Festival, sat down on a bench, and felt incredibly good! I had a sense of normality that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. And I love what’s happening here! It’s fantastic. I would love to see this in all our cities.”
Cătălin Oprișan is a journalist and author specializing in sports literature. He is the recipient of the “Ioan Chirilă” Award for his book “Steaua, Legenda unei echipe de fotbal” (Steaua, The Legend of a Football Team), as well as the author of “Istoria echipei naționale de fotbal a României” (The History of Romania’s National Football Team), which was recognized by the Romanian Sports Press Association.
The all-time top scorer of Romania’s national football team, tied with Gheorghe Hagi, both holding the record of 35 goals. During his playing career, he was nicknamed “The Brilliant” and played as a forward or left winger. His club career included teams such as FC Argeș, Dinamo București, Inter Milan, Hellas Verona, Parma, Chelsea, Juventus, Fiorentina, Cesena, Ajaccio, Petrolul Ploiești, Pune City, and ASA Târgu Mureș.
Since 2018, he has been a coach, starting at FC Voluntari, followed by Romania’s U21 national team and FC Universitatea 1948. He is currently the head coach of Rapid București.
The Romanian tennis player Jaqueline Cristian won her first WTA final in November 2021 and entered the top 100, being among the 22 Romanian players who achieved this performance. On January 31, 2022, she reached her highest singles ranking in the WTA rankings: 58th place.
”I believe that this type of festival should be adopted and implemented in every major city in Romania! It should reach as many parents and children as possible so that the little ones can take part in such events and try out a wide variety of sports. A large number of children have also turned to swimming in recent days. Surely, many of those who have learned the basics of swimming during this time will continue practicing it.”
”What’s happening here is amazing. This is something you should be proud of! Bringing so many sports to the people, engaging with children through 40 different sports, and encouraging them to try them out is fantastic!”
”In recent years, the federation has focused on rebuilding the competition system to bring more talent to the top of the pyramid. The main indicator is the percentage of the population that plays football. Five years ago, we started with 0.5% of both registered and unregistered football players. After five years, we have reached 1.5%. The goal is to reach the European average of 2.7%.”
”I believe that female athletes in Romania receive very little exposure and lack in-depth coverage. There’s also a qualitative issue because public discourse is still filled with gender stereotypes. Too much focus is placed on their physical appearance, their role as mothers, how they look, and how they dress. As a society, we need strong female role models, and sports provide them for us!”
”You have to stay positive. I used to do an exercise—I would close my eyes and picture myself on the podium. When it finally happened, it was exactly as I had imagined. However, I believe that the greatest achievement wasn’t just winning this medal. I have it at home, it’s mine, it’s precious. But I think the journey, the way I grew from failure to failure, mattered the most.”
”Sport is nothing more than a reflection of society. We need competence, professionals, and clear performance criteria. As a former football player, I learned to play as a team, to rely on my teammates, and to support them when needed. One person alone cannot change things—you need a team.”
”We are living through a revolution in sports. The old system—the “stay quiet and do your job” approach—no longer works. Young people are different now. We need to focus on the professionalization of those who manage sports. You have to show them that sports can be an incredible alternative—first for health and second for a better life.
I arrived here at Sports Festival, sat on a bench, and felt incredibly good! I had a sense of normality that I hadn’t experienced in a long time. And I love what’s happening here! It’s fantastic. I would love to see this in all our cities.”
