Athlete of the week

Weightlifter Cosmina Pana

Eugen Nasta, 29.10.2024, 13:45

The European Juniors and Youth Weightlifting Championship have been underway in the Polish locality of Raszyn since late last week. The Romanian athletes have already won many medals, in various categories. However, the best performance occurred in the very first day of the competition.

For the U-23 women weightlifters, in the 49-kilogram category, Cosmina Pană a walked away with gold in the snatch style, with a deadlift of 73 kilograms. In the clean-and-jerk style, Pana won bronze in the 87-kilogram category. Also bronze went to Cosmina Pana, in the combined category, with a deadlift of 160 kilograms.

Reason enough for Radio Romania International to designate Cosmina Pana the Athlete of the week.

Entering the competition as part of the European Championships in Poland were 449 athletes of 35 countries. The Romanian delegation is made of 15 weightlifters, of whom 6 participate in the men’s version of the competition, while 9 others participate in the women’s version of the championships in Poland.

The athlete of the week today, Adriana Cosmina Pană, is one of the Romania delegation’s most experienced competitors.

She was born in Bacau, in 2001 on December 18. At the age of 13, Cosmina was spotted for her qualities by coach George Călin, of Bacau Municipal Sports Club. Cosmina Pana succeeded her first international performances in 2018 at the European Youth Championships in Italy’s San Donato Milanese. In the 44-kilogram category, Pana won bronze in the snatch style and bronze in the clean-and-jerk style and combined.

In 2019, at the European Juniors’ Championships in Bucharest Cosmina Pana reiterated her performance. In the 45-kilogram category, Cosmina won bronze in the snatch style and silver in the clean and jerk style, also stepping onto the third step of the podium in the combined category. Also in the 45-kilogram category at the World Juniors Championships in Tashkent, in 2021, she won silver in the snatch style, with a deadlift of 84 kilograms.

In the seniors’ competition, Cosmina Pana won her first European medals in 2023 as part of the European championships held in Armenia’s capital city Yerevan. Cosmina won silver in the snatch style and combined.