Cosmin Pascari (ROU)

Rising Star – November 2017

At just 19 years of age, Romania’s Cosmin Pascari already has an impressive list of achievements to his name.

Three years ago, Pascari won his first international medal, a World Championship silver medal in the junior men’s four. He went on to become a two-time consecutive Junior World Champion in the same boat class in 2015 and 2016. And this year in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, Pascari claimed the Under-23 world title in the men’s pair.

Finishing an impressive fourth at the World Rowing Cup in Lucerne this past July, he raced against some of the best rowers in the world in the men’s pair, leading World Rowing to highlight Pascari as an up­-and-coming athlete with a promising future.

I discovered rowing… at a talent identification selection in my school.

Rowing is the sport that suits me best, because… I’m the type of person who doesn’t step back from anything.

A favourite saying of my coach is… better to cry in the gym and laugh after the race.

My goal in rowing is… to become an Olympic medallist.

On the erg, my best score so far is… 5.59.0.

This year… I will graduate from high school.

When I finish my studies… I think I will try to become coach.

My most difficult race so far was… the final from World Rowing Cup III, in Luzern (Pascari finished fourth in the men’s pair).

The rowing crew/athlete I am most a fan of at the moment is… the Italian pair, especially Giuseppe Vicino, because I like how they calculate every stroke of the race.

What I learnt from competing at junior level is… everything is possible if you work for it.

What I learnt from competing at under-23 level is… I learnt that if you want to catch a good boat you need to prove it and that’s what I did.

What motivates me most is… my dream to become an Olympic medallist.

I’m most relaxed when… I’m walking in nature.

I’m afraid of… snakes.

My biggest strength is… I’m young and I’m very motivated to prove my value.

In my fridge, you will always find… fruit and vegetables.

If I could have dinner with any three people in the world… Hamish Bond, Eric Murray and Mohamed Sbihi.

If I was an animal, I would be… a wolf because if it proves its strength, it becomes the leader of the group.