Monica Rosu
Encyclopedia
Monica Roşu is an artistic gymnast
from Romania
. During her career she won two Olympic gold medals (team and vault), a silver medal with the team at world championships and two gold continental medals (team and vault).
, then the site of the junior training center. The world got its first glimpse of young Roşu at the Top Gym Tournament in early 2000. When two juniors from Deva pulled out unexpectedly just days before the meet began, Roşu was selected as a last-minute replacement. Held annually in Charleroi, Belgium
, the Top Gym Tournament is one of the most prestigious international junior competitions. Competing with an ankle injury and first-meet jitters, Monica's performance left much to be desired. After multiple falls, she finished 12th all-around and few fans ever expected to see her again. Determined to improve, Roşu competed internationally in the Netherlands
and Slovakia
in 2001. Always a powerful tumbler, she made great strides in vaulting and floor exercise and soon moved with her teammates to the national training center in Deva
. Still a junior in 2002, she competed at the Romanian International, placing fourth. She went on to be a part of the junior squad at the European Championships, where she earned bronze medals on vault and floor exercise. Her second and last participation at the prestigious Top Gym Turnament turned out a success; she won the trophy ahead of teammate Alexandra Eremia
in the U.S.
in 2003, winning silver with her team and placing fourth on the vault. She then won gold on vault and with the team at the European Championships the following spring.
Roşu's finest hour came during the 2004 Olympics in Athens
. With Cătălina Ponor
, Daniela Sofronie, Oana Ban
, Alexandra Eremia
and Silvia Stroescu
she was a part of the Romanian team who successfully defended their Olympic team title. In a dominant performance they won by nearly a full point and finished top on three of the four apparatus. The strongest vaulter on the team, she contributed scores in the finals of 9.625 on vault and 9.387 on bars. Roşu also won gold on the vault, competing the two most difficult vaults of the Olympic Games
and indeed the most difficult ever performed by a woman in an Olympic competition so far. She was nearly two tenths ahead of her nearest rival.
and in the TV show Monster Box in Japan. In 2009 she was the host of a TV show ("Forma Maxima") aimed at promoting a healthy life style, broadcasted by the Romanian TVR1 channel. Among her guest were Ion Ţiriac
, Ilie Năstase
and Gheorghe Hagi
. As of 2010, Roşu was studying for her masters of sport management in Bucharest, Romania.
Gymnastics
Gymnastics is a sport involving performance of exercises requiring physical strength, flexibility, agility, coordination, and balance. Internationally, all of the gymnastic sports are governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique with each country having its own national governing body...
from 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...
. During her career she won two Olympic gold medals (team and vault), a silver medal with the team at world championships and two gold continental medals (team and vault).
Early life and career
Monica started gymnastics in 1991 at age four and trained during her early years at CSS Bacău.Powerful and hardworking, Roşu was selected to train for the junior national team and left her family for OneştiOnesti
Onești is a city in Bacău County, Romania, with a population of 51,681 inhabitants.Administratively, the villages of Slobozia and Borzești form part of Onești...
, then the site of the junior training center. The world got its first glimpse of young Roşu at the Top Gym Tournament in early 2000. When two juniors from Deva pulled out unexpectedly just days before the meet began, Roşu was selected as a last-minute replacement. Held annually in Charleroi, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, the Top Gym Tournament is one of the most prestigious international junior competitions. Competing with an ankle injury and first-meet jitters, Monica's performance left much to be desired. After multiple falls, she finished 12th all-around and few fans ever expected to see her again. Determined to improve, Roşu competed internationally in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
and Slovakia
Slovakia
The Slovak Republic is a landlocked state in Central Europe. It has a population of over five million and an area of about . Slovakia is bordered by the Czech Republic and Austria to the west, Poland to the north, Ukraine to the east and Hungary to the south...
in 2001. Always a powerful tumbler, she made great strides in vaulting and floor exercise and soon moved with her teammates to the national training center in 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:...
. Still a junior in 2002, she competed at the Romanian International, placing fourth. She went on to be a part of the junior squad at the European Championships, where she earned bronze medals on vault and floor exercise. Her second and last participation at the prestigious Top Gym Turnament turned out a success; she won the trophy ahead of teammate Alexandra Eremia
Alexandra Eremia
Alexandra Georgiana Eremia is a Romanian artistic gymnast. Her best apparatus was the balance beam on which she had an interesting routine starting with her trademark split mount. She is an Olympic and a European gold medalist with the team. Individually, she won several medals on beam in...
Senior career
Over the next two years, Roşu competed national and internationally, gaining a great deal of experience. She competed at her first world championshipsWorld Gymnastics Championships
The Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique organises World Gymnastics Championships for each of the gymnastic disciplines:...
in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2003, winning silver with her team and placing fourth on the vault. She then won gold on vault and with the team at the European Championships the following spring.
Roşu's finest hour came during the 2004 Olympics in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
. With Cătălina Ponor
Catalina Ponor
Cătălina Ponor is a gymnast from Constanţa, Romania. After beginning training with the national team in 2002, Ponor won several medals with the Romanian team, along with individual balance beam and floor exercise medals. Almost unknown until late 2003, Ponor has made several important...
, Daniela Sofronie, Oana Ban
Oana Ban
Oana Mihaela Ban is a retired Romanian artistic gymnast. She is an Olympic gold medalist with the team and a world silver medalist on beam and with the team...
, Alexandra Eremia
Alexandra Eremia
Alexandra Georgiana Eremia is a Romanian artistic gymnast. Her best apparatus was the balance beam on which she had an interesting routine starting with her trademark split mount. She is an Olympic and a European gold medalist with the team. Individually, she won several medals on beam in...
and Silvia Stroescu
Silvia Stroescu
Silvia Alexandra Stroescu is a Romanian artistic gymnast. She is an Olympic, world, and European gold medalist with the team. A skill on the floor exercise is named after her; "Stroescu" is a stretched forward salto with 2½ twists.-Early life and career:She was one of the most successful junior...
she was a part of the Romanian team who successfully defended their Olympic team title. In a dominant performance they won by nearly a full point and finished top on three of the four apparatus. The strongest vaulter on the team, she contributed scores in the finals of 9.625 on vault and 9.387 on bars. Roşu also won gold on the vault, competing the two most difficult vaults of the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
and indeed the most difficult ever performed by a woman in an Olympic competition so far. She was nearly two tenths ahead of her nearest rival.
Retirement
After injuring herself in 2005, and showing sub-par performances, Roşu failed to make the 2005 World Championship team and has since retired. In 2005 she participated at the televised competition KunoichiKunoichi
is the term for a female ninja or practitioner of ninjutsu .-Etymology:The term is thought to derive from the names of characters that resemble the three strokes in the kanji character for ; said in the order they are written: ku - no - ichi...
and in the TV show Monster Box in Japan. In 2009 she was the host of a TV show ("Forma Maxima") aimed at promoting a healthy life style, broadcasted by the Romanian TVR1 channel. Among her guest were Ion Ţiriac
Ion Tiriac
Ion Țiriac is a Romanian former tennis player and businessman. He is also the current owner of the Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open.-Sports career:...
, Ilie Năstase
Ilie Nastase
Ilie Nastase is a Romanian former professional tennis player, one of the world's top players of the 1970s. Năstase was the World No. 1 tennis player between 1973 and 1974 . He is one of the five players in history to win more than 100 ATP professional titles . He was inducted into the...
and Gheorghe Hagi
Gheorghe Hagi
Gheorghe Hagi is a former Romanian footballer. He was famous for his passing, close control, long shots and was regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe during the 1980s and 1990s and is considered the greatest Romanian footballer of all time...
. As of 2010, Roşu was studying for her masters of sport management in Bucharest, Romania.
Achievements
- 2000 Top Gym Tournament: 6th Team, 12th A-A, 6th BB 12th FX, 6 V
- 2001 Tournament of Arques: 3rd A-A
- 2001 Slovakian International: 4th A-A, 6th BB, 7th UB, 7th FX
- 2001 Hypotheek Tournament: 2nd A-AShe won two gold medalGold medalA gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
s for her country in the 2004 Athens Olympics with the Romanian women taking out the Team competition (from the US) and Roşu herself winning the vault with a score of 9.656. She won a silver medal on vault at the 2004 World Cup Final. She injured herself in 2005 and has not competed since 2004.