Izabela Lăcătuş
Encyclopedia
Izabela Daniela Lăcătuş is a retired Romania
n artistic
and aerobic gymnast. She was an alternate to the artistic gymnastics team at the 1992 Olympics
. After retiring from artistic gymnastics she enjoyed a tremendously successful aerobic gymnastics career winning an impressive number of 16 world and continental medals including the 2000 individual world title.
, but later she moved to Deva
where she trained with the national team. She progressed rapidly and in 1989 she moved up to the senior team and trained alongside Daniela Silivaş
. In 1990, following the Revolution
, the gym at Deva closed and Lăcătuş went to train at the Olympic Center in Oneşti. Although still a junior according to the FIG rules, she participated in 1990 at competitions reserved for seniors as well as in junior meets. Her best results in 1990 were a 4th all around at Chunichi Cup and a 5th all around at the Avignion Junior International. By the end of 1990 the gym at Deva opened again and the national team was reinstated. Izabela missed the 1991 Romanian International due to an injury but she competed in the Junior European Championships where she placed 4th all around. Latter that year she won silver for the all around at the Cottbus Cup. In 1992 she won silver on bars at the Romanian International and earned herself a place as the second alternate to the 1992 Romania
n Olympic team. The other members of the team were Lavinia Miloşovici
, Gina Gogean
, Mirela Paşca
, Maria Neculiţă
and Vanda Hădărean
. Eugenia Popa
was the first alternate. In 1992 Izabela competed at several competitions but an ankle injury sidelined her for the rest of the year. She did not manage to make a full recovery and retired in 1994.
, Lacramioara Filip
, Cristian Leric
and Remus Nicolai
. Her debut as an aerobic gymnast in an international event was at the 1st World Aerobic Gymnastics Championships in Paris, 1995. During her aerobic gymnastics career she competed in the individual event, mixed pairs and groups. Her partners in the mixed pair event were Claudiu Varlam
(until 1999) and Remus Nicolai
(after 1999). On the individual event she won four world championships medals (gold 2000, silver 1999, 2002 and bronze 1998) and four European championships medals (gold 2001, 2005 and silver 1999, 2003). She also placed 5th on the individual event at the 2004 world championships. On the mixed pairs event she won one silver and three bronze medals at world championships (2000, 1998, 2002, 2004) and three continental medals (gold 2003, silver 2001 and bronze 1999). She also placed seventh on mixed pairs at the 1997 word championships. On the group event she won the continental title in 2005 and placed fourth at the 2006 world championships.
.
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 artistic
Artistic gymnastics
Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics where gymnasts perform short routines on different apparatus, with less time for vaulting . The sport is governed by the Federation Internationale de Gymnastique , which designs the Code of Points and regulates all aspects of international elite...
and aerobic gymnast. She was an alternate to the artistic gymnastics team at the 1992 Olympics
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
. After retiring from artistic gymnastics she enjoyed a tremendously successful aerobic gymnastics career winning an impressive number of 16 world and continental medals including the 2000 individual world title.
Artistic gymnastics career
Lăcătuş started gymnastics at the CSS Triumf club in her hometown BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
, but later she moved to Deva
Deva, Romania
Deva is a city in Romania, in the historical region of Transylvania, on the left bank of the Mureș River. It is the capital of Hunedoara County.-Name:...
where she trained with the national team. She progressed rapidly and in 1989 she moved up to the senior team and trained alongside Daniela Silivaş
Daniela Silivas
Viorica Daniela Silivaş-Harper , best known as Daniela Silivaş, is a Romanian gymnast who is most famous for winning six medals in women's artistic gymnastics at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea...
. In 1990, following the Revolution
Romanian Revolution of 1989
The Romanian Revolution of 1989 was a series of riots and clashes in December 1989. These were part of the Revolutions of 1989 that occurred in several Warsaw Pact countries...
, the gym at Deva closed and Lăcătuş went to train at the Olympic Center in Oneşti. Although still a junior according to the FIG rules, she participated in 1990 at competitions reserved for seniors as well as in junior meets. Her best results in 1990 were a 4th all around at Chunichi Cup and a 5th all around at the Avignion Junior International. By the end of 1990 the gym at Deva opened again and the national team was reinstated. Izabela missed the 1991 Romanian International due to an injury but she competed in the Junior European Championships where she placed 4th all around. Latter that year she won silver for the all around at the Cottbus Cup. In 1992 she won silver on bars at the Romanian International and earned herself a place as the second alternate to the 1992 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 Olympic team. The other members of the team were 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...
, Gina Gogean
Gina Gogean
Gina Gogean is a retired gymnast from Romania who competed internationally in the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. During her career she won an impressive number of 30 medals at Olympic Games, world championships or continental championships...
, Mirela Paşca
Mirela Pasca
Mirela Ana Paşca is a Romanian artistic gymnast, who competed in international events between 1990 and 1992. She is an Olympic silver medalist and a world bronze medalist with the team. Individually, she is a world bronze medalist and a European champion on uneven bars...
, Maria Neculiţă
Maria Neculita
Maria Neculiţă is a Romanian artistic gymnast who competed in international events between 1988 and 1992. Her best events were the floor and the beam. She won the team silver medal at the 1992 Olympics and team bronze at the 1991 World Championships...
and Vanda Hădărean
Vanda Hadarean
Vanda Maria Hădărean is a retired Romanian artistic gymnast who competed in international events between 1990 and 1993. She is an Olympic silver medalist and a world bronze medalist with the team and a European all around bronze medalist. She is also a successful fitness model and she has won...
. Eugenia Popa
Eugenia Popa
Eugenia Popa is a retired Romanian artistic gymnast. She won two world championships medals with the team: a silver medal in 1989 and a bronze medal in 1991. She was an alternate to the 1992 silver winning Romanian Olympic team. After retirement she became a coach of artistic gymnastics...
was the first alternate. In 1992 Izabela competed at several competitions but an ankle injury sidelined her for the rest of the year. She did not manage to make a full recovery and retired in 1994.
Post 1994 and aerobic gymnastics career
In 1994 she started to train for aerobic gymnastics at CSS Triumf Club with coach Maria Fumea and to coach the lower level gymnasts at the same club. She enrolled at the Sports University in Bucharest, with the hope of becoming a coach after graduation. Izabela also performed in the Aeros entertainment show. Among her colleagues at Aeros were Daniela MărănducăDaniela Maranduca
Daniela Mărănducă is a retired artistic and aerobic gymnast. During her career she won nine medals at world or European championships .-Artistic gymnastics career:...
, Lacramioara 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...
. Her debut as an aerobic gymnast in an international event was at the 1st World Aerobic Gymnastics Championships in Paris, 1995. During her aerobic gymnastics career she competed in the individual event, mixed pairs and groups. Her partners in the mixed pair event were Claudiu Varlam
Claudiu Varlam
Claudiu Varlam is a retired Romanian aerobic gymnast. He had a successful career winning five world championships medals . After retiring from aerobic gymnastics he became a coach of the Romanian national aerobic gymnastics team.-External links:*...
(until 1999) 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...
(after 1999). On the individual event she won four world championships medals (gold 2000, silver 1999, 2002 and bronze 1998) and four European championships medals (gold 2001, 2005 and silver 1999, 2003). She also placed 5th on the individual event at the 2004 world championships. On the mixed pairs event she won one silver and three bronze medals at world championships (2000, 1998, 2002, 2004) and three continental medals (gold 2003, silver 2001 and bronze 1999). She also placed seventh on mixed pairs at the 1997 word championships. On the group event she won the continental title in 2005 and placed fourth at the 2006 world championships.
Post retirement
Lăcătuş retired after the 2006 world championships. She is currently coaching aerobic gymnastics at the CSS Triumf club in BucharestBucharest
Bucharest is the capital municipality, cultural, industrial, and financial centre of Romania. It is the largest city in Romania, located in the southeast of the country, at , and lies on the banks of the Dâmbovița River....
.