Radio Romania International Sports club

Rowing

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Florin Orban, 26.07.2023, 13:45

One of Romania’s greatest athletes has recently celebrated his 89th birthday anniversary. A time-honored veteran of our Olympic champions, born on July 22nd, 1934, Leon Rotman was the first Romanian to have won two gold medals at the same edition of the Olympic Games, in Melbourne, in 1956.

Leon Rotman was born in the old Bucharest neighborhood of Dudesti, into the family of a Jewish store-keeper. When he was 15 and still an apprentice with the Timpuri Noi plants, Leon Rotman took up training on the premises of Flacara club’s wrestling hall, being one of the 67-kilgram hopefuls. In 1952, when on the shores of the Floreasca lake, he discovered the nautical sports. Soon afterwards he was granted membership of Dinamo Bucharest Sports club’s kayak-canoe section. Rotman was quick to persuade his coaches that his place was definitely in the men’s canoe single boat. It didn’t take Rotman too long to succeed a string of wins at national level, so much so that he gained membership of the delegation representing Romania at the Olympic Games in Melbourne in 1956. Back then, three of the four gold medals won in the men’s canoe events went to the Romanian rowers, who had no problem outclassing their challengers from Russia and Hungary, then the dominating powers in the nautical sports.

Rotman’s s first noteworthy victory occurred in the 10,000m race. The Romanian had problems registering for the event since his boat was slightly bent, an official irregularity according to the competition’s organizers. Rotman was given another boat, but that also had a problem: it was longer than officially stipulated. The canoe was shortened with a saw, then during the race Rotman displayed his force and talent, defeating the favorites of the 10,000m race, the Hungarians János Parti and István Hernek as well as the then Soviet Genady Bukharin. Rotman won the race being 80 meters ahead of the runner-up rower, Janos Parti.

The 1,000m race followed. This time around as well, Rotman was the favorite. He confirmed, and yet again won the race; with Hungary’s Hernek being Rotman’s runner-up rower. Just like in the 10,000m race, the bronze medal went to Bukharin. The third gold medal won by the Romanian rowers in Melbourne went to Alexe Dumitru and Simion Ismailciuc, in the 1,000m men’s canoe double race.

In 1960 at the Olympics Games in Rome, the Romanian rowers won only one medal, again through Leon Rotman, who walked home with bronze in the 1, 000m men’s canoe single race.