Daniela Maranduca
Encyclopedia
Daniela Mărănducă (born June 17, 1976 in Constanţa
, Romania
) is a retired artistic and aerobic gymnast. During her career she won nine medals at world or European championships (six gold, two silver and one bronze).
At the beginning of her senior career she was not selected to participate at major international competitions. Instead she competed at the Romanian Internationals and Romanian Nationals. In 1993 she finished third all around at the Romanian Internationals behind Lavinia Miloşovici
and Lyudmila Stovbchataya.
Soon after this competition she broke her ankle and severely sprained her wrist during practice. She was told that she will not be able to return to gymnastics but after recovering from her injuries she went back to Constanţa
to train with the junior team. She made it back in the national team in 1994. Her determination to return to the national team was a great inspiration to the juniors training at Farul. Among these juniors was Simona Amânar
who declared that seeing Daniela train and returning to the national team was "the best lesson [I] had ever learned".
1994 was a good year for Daniela. She won several medals at some minor competitions and went with the team in Dormunt to compete in the 1994 World Championships
. Her performance on all four events, highlighted by a 9.8 on vault and a 9.837 on floor helped the team to win the gold medal. She was also voted the most beautiful gymnast by the journalists covering the championships.
Daniela retired from artistic gymnastics at the end of 1994 and went back to Constanţa
where she majored in Environmental studies and helped with coaching at Farul.
, Lăcrămioara Filip
, Cristian Leric
and Remus Nicolai
.
In 1996 she started to train for aerobic gymnastics and in 1999 she was selected to be a member of the national aerobic team trained by Maria Fumea.
During her aerobic gymnastics career she won two world titles (2002 and 2004) and three continental titles (1999, 2001 and 2003) for the group event. She also won a world championships bronze medal and two European championships silver medals (2001 and 2003) and placed fifth at the 2002 world championships on the trio event. Daniela retired from aerobic gymnastics in 2005.
in 2002. Together they have a daughter Valeria born 2006. In 2007 they opened a private gymnastics club in Constanţa
.
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
, 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...
) is a retired artistic and aerobic gymnast. During her career she won nine medals at world or European championships (six gold, two silver and one bronze).
Artistic gymnastics career
Daniela started gymnastics at the age of 6 at Farul Constanţa Club. In 1991 she became the first gymnast from that club to be selected in the national team.At the beginning of her senior career she was not selected to participate at major international competitions. Instead she competed at the Romanian Internationals and Romanian Nationals. In 1993 she finished third all around at the Romanian Internationals behind Lavinia Miloşovici
Lavinia Milosovici
Lavinia Corina Miloşovici is a Romanian Olympic gymnast. An exceptionally successful athlete on the international competition circuit, Miloşovici, also known as "Milo" in the gymnastics community, is considered to be one of Romania's top gymnasts of the 1990s and one of the most prolific female...
and Lyudmila Stovbchataya.
Soon after this competition she broke her ankle and severely sprained her wrist during practice. She was told that she will not be able to return to gymnastics but after recovering from her injuries she went back to Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
to train with the junior team. She made it back in the national team in 1994. Her determination to return to the national team was a great inspiration to the juniors training at Farul. Among these juniors was Simona Amânar
Simona Amânar
Simona Amânar is a Romanian gymnast. She is a seven-time Olympic medalist and a ten-time world medalist. Amânar helped Romania to win four consecutive world team titles as well as the 2000 Olympic team title. She has a vault named after her, the Amanar...
who declared that seeing Daniela train and returning to the national team was "the best lesson [I] had ever learned".
1994 was a good year for Daniela. She won several medals at some minor competitions and went with the team in Dormunt to compete in the 1994 World Championships
1994 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships (Team)
The 1994 World Artistic Gymnastics Team Championships were held in Dortmund, Germany from 15–20 November 1994.Only the team event was contested at this meet. The individual events and all-around were contested at another World Championships in Brisbane, Australia in April 1994. 1994 was the only...
. Her performance on all four events, highlighted by a 9.8 on vault and a 9.837 on floor helped the team to win the gold medal. She was also voted the most beautiful gymnast by the journalists covering the championships.
Daniela retired from artistic gymnastics at the end of 1994 and went back to Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
where she majored in Environmental studies and helped with coaching at Farul.
Post 1994 and aerobic gymnastics career
After retiring from artistic gymnastics Daniela went to perform in the Aeros entertainment show. Among her colleagues at Aeros were Izabela LăcătuşIzabela Lăcătuş
Izabela Daniela Lăcătuş is a retired Romanian artistic and aerobic gymnast. She was an alternate to the artistic gymnastics team at the 1992 Olympics...
, Lăcrămioara Filip
Lăcrămioara Filip
Lăcrămioara Filip is a retired Romanian artistic and aerobic gymnast. She is a world silver medalist with the team and a European gold medalist on the group event . She is also known to be the first gymnast to perform a tucked double front dismount from the uneven bars...
, Cristian Leric
Cristian Leric
Cristian Leric is a retired Romanian artistic gymnast whose best event was the vault. He is a world bronze medalist with the team and a two time continental medalist on vault. After retirement he performed in the Aeros entertainment show.-References:...
and Remus Nicolai
Remus Nicolai
Remus Nicolai is a retired Romanian aerobic gymnast. He had a successful career winning six world championships medals and five European championships medals...
.
In 1996 she started to train for aerobic gymnastics and in 1999 she was selected to be a member of the national aerobic team trained by Maria Fumea.
During her aerobic gymnastics career she won two world titles (2002 and 2004) and three continental titles (1999, 2001 and 2003) for the group event. She also won a world championships bronze medal and two European championships silver medals (2001 and 2003) and placed fifth at the 2002 world championships on the trio event. Daniela retired from aerobic gymnastics in 2005.
Personal life
Daniela married her Aeros and national team colleague Remus NicolaiRemus Nicolai
Remus Nicolai is a retired Romanian aerobic gymnast. He had a successful career winning six world championships medals and five European championships medals...
in 2002. Together they have a daughter Valeria born 2006. In 2007 they opened a private gymnastics club in Constanţa
Constanta
Constanța is the oldest extant city in Romania, founded around 600 BC. The city is located in the Dobruja region of Romania, on the Black Sea coast. It is the capital of Constanța County and the largest city in the region....
.