Simion Ismailciuc
Encyclopedia
Simion Ismailciuc (born July 13, 1930 in Chilia Veche
, Tulcea County
, Romania,
died 1986, Snagov
, Ilfov County
, Romania
) was a Romania
n sprint canoer
and Olympic
champion.
family of fishermen from the Danube Delta
, he started fishing and paddling in a fisherman’s boat at the age of 6. During World War II
he worked as an apprentice sailor on various types of river patrolboats, along with other boys in the area. After the war, he joined the Communist-inspired “Youth building sites” at Salva-Vişeu and Bumbeşti-Livezeni, after which he did his compulsory military service.While working and while in the military, he learned to play rugby
and was quite talented at it.
His outstanding talent, exceptional working capacity and his life experience soon turned him into Huţan’s genuine, albeit unpaid, assistant coach. Fascinated by Ismailciuc’s Danube Delta
stories, Huţan sent him on various scouting missions there, resulting in a series of talented youngsters from that area (of various ethnic backgrounds) rising rather quickly to canoeing glory (a trend which would continue over the following decades).
As for Ismailciuc himself, realising he could not match fellow Dinamo canoeist Leon Rotman
’s times in the singles events, he looked for a partner among the young people he had selected, and he chose Alexe Dumitru
. The two of them competed in the C-2 events in the 1956 Summer Olympics
. Some liver complaints by Ismailciuc prevented them being placed higher than fifth in the C-2 10000 m event. However, they competed brilliantly in the C-2 1000 m event, where they won Olympic gold. They went on to become European champions in Ghent
, Belgium
(1957) in the C-2 10000 m event (they won silver in the C-2 1000 m event). The bronze medal in C-2 10000 m was won by two of Ismailciuc’s protégés (Ichim Lipalit-Lavrente Calinov), as one country was entitled to two entries in each event. At the 1958 World Championships in Prague
, Ismailciuc and Alexe won the gold in the C-2 1000 m event. Deserted by Alexe (who had decided to quit sports and return to his previous job), Ismailciuc tried his luck in the C-1 1000 m event for the 1960 Summer Olympics
, he was already credited with better results than reigning Olympic champion Leon Rotman
. However, Romanian coaches were unable to decide between the two, so both were part of the Romanian Olympic delegation in Rome. The on-site test races on Lake Albano showed Rotman was faster and allowed to represent Romania at those games. Ismailciuc retired as a result of his second-place finish though he would return to win a gold in the C-1 1000 m event at the 1963 World Championships in Jajce
.
Chilia Veche
Chilia Veche is a commune in Tulcea County, Romania, on the Danube Delta . It gave its name to the Chilia branch of the Danube, which separates it from Ukraine...
, Tulcea County
Tulcea County
Tulcea is a county of Romania, in the historical region Dobruja, with the capital city at Tulcea.-Demographics:In 2002, Tulcea County had a population of 256,492...
, Romania,
died 1986, Snagov
Snagov
Snagov is a commune, located 40 km north of Bucharest in Ilfov County, Romania. According to the 2002 census, 99.2% of the population is ethnic Romanian and 0.4% are Roma...
, Ilfov County
Ilfov County
Ilfov is the county that surrounds Bucharest, the capital of Romania. It used to be largely rural, but after the fall of communism, many of the county's villages and communes developed into high-income commuter towns, which act like suburbs or satellites of Bucharest...
, 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...
) was 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 ....
and Olympic
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...
champion.
Early life
Born to an ethnic UkrainianUkrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
family of fishermen from the Danube Delta
Danube Delta
The Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine . The approximate surface is...
, he started fishing and paddling in a fisherman’s boat at the age of 6. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he worked as an apprentice sailor on various types of river patrolboats, along with other boys in the area. After the war, he joined the Communist-inspired “Youth building sites” at Salva-Vişeu and Bumbeşti-Livezeni, after which he did his compulsory military service.While working and while in the military, he learned to play rugby
Rugby football
Rugby football is a style of football named after Rugby School in the United Kingdom. It is seen most prominently in two current sports, rugby league and rugby union.-History:...
and was quite talented at it.
Sporting career
After being de-mobilised, he joined Dinamo Bucharest’s rugby team, where he played for a few months. Dinamo’s canoeing coach Radu Huţan, hearing about his fisherman and paddling past, persuaded him to switch to canoeing, to which Ismailciuc would devote the rest of his life.His outstanding talent, exceptional working capacity and his life experience soon turned him into Huţan’s genuine, albeit unpaid, assistant coach. Fascinated by Ismailciuc’s Danube Delta
Danube Delta
The Danube Delta is the second largest river delta in Europe, after the Volga Delta, and is the best preserved on the continent. The greater part of the Danube Delta lies in Romania , while its northern part, on the left bank of the Chilia arm, is situated in Ukraine . The approximate surface is...
stories, Huţan sent him on various scouting missions there, resulting in a series of talented youngsters from that area (of various ethnic backgrounds) rising rather quickly to canoeing glory (a trend which would continue over the following decades).
As for Ismailciuc himself, realising he could not match fellow Dinamo canoeist Leon Rotman
Leon Rotman
Leon Rotman is a Romanian sprint canoer who competed in the late 1950s and early 1960s.-Life and sporting career:...
’s times in the singles events, he looked for a partner among the young people he had selected, and he chose Alexe Dumitru
Alexe Dumitru
Alexe Dumitru was a Romanian sprint canoer who competed in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Competing in two Summer Olympics, he won the gold in the C-2 1000 m event at Melbourne in 1956....
. The two of them competed in the C-2 events in the 1956 Summer Olympics
1956 Summer Olympics
The 1956 Melbourne Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVI Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in Melbourne, Australia, in 1956, with the exception of the equestrian events, which could not be held in Australia due to quarantine regulations...
. Some liver complaints by Ismailciuc prevented them being placed higher than fifth in the C-2 10000 m event. However, they competed brilliantly in the C-2 1000 m event, where they won Olympic gold. They went on to become European champions in Ghent
Ghent
Ghent is a city and a municipality located in the Flemish region of Belgium. It is the capital and biggest city of the East Flanders province. The city started as a settlement at the confluence of the Rivers Scheldt and Lys and in the Middle Ages became one of the largest and richest cities of...
, 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...
(1957) in the C-2 10000 m event (they won silver in the C-2 1000 m event). The bronze medal in C-2 10000 m was won by two of Ismailciuc’s protégés (Ichim Lipalit-Lavrente Calinov), as one country was entitled to two entries in each event. At the 1958 World Championships in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Ismailciuc and Alexe won the gold in the C-2 1000 m event. Deserted by Alexe (who had decided to quit sports and return to his previous job), Ismailciuc tried his luck in the C-1 1000 m event for the 1960 Summer Olympics
1960 Summer Olympics
The 1960 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held from August 25 to September 11, 1960 in Rome, Italy...
, he was already credited with better results than reigning Olympic champion Leon Rotman
Leon Rotman
Leon Rotman is a Romanian sprint canoer who competed in the late 1950s and early 1960s.-Life and sporting career:...
. However, Romanian coaches were unable to decide between the two, so both were part of the Romanian Olympic delegation in Rome. The on-site test races on Lake Albano showed Rotman was faster and allowed to represent Romania at those games. Ismailciuc retired as a result of his second-place finish though he would return to win a gold in the C-1 1000 m event at the 1963 World Championships in Jajce
Jajce
Jajce is a city and municipality located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is part of the Central Bosnia Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
.