Aurel Vernescu (January 23, 1939-December 1, 2008) is a Romania

Romania

Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...

n sprint canoer

Canoe racing

This article discusses canoe sprint and canoe marathon, competitive forms of canoeing and kayaking on more or less flat water. Both sports are governed by the International Canoe Federation ....

 who competed from the late 1950s to the early 1970s. Competing in four Summer Olympics, he won three medals with a silver (1972

1972 Summer Olympics

The 1972 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from August 26 to September 11, 1972....

: K-4 1000 m) and two bronze (1964

1964 Summer Olympics

The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...

: both K-1 1000 m and K-4 1000 m).

Vernescu also won eleven medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with four golds (K-1 500 m: 1963, 1966; K-1 4 x 500 m: 1963, K-2 500 m: 1966), five silvers (K-1 1000 m: 1963, K-1 4 x 500 m: 1970, 1971, K-2 500 m: 1966, 1970; K-2 1000 m: 1966), and one bronze (K-1 4 x 500 m: 1966).

He died on December 1, 2008 from a cardiac insufficiency.