Where are they now: Georgeta Andrunache

At the age of 13 Georgeta Andrunache knew that rowing was the sport for her. Born in Botosani, Romania she was selected to row as part of a national recruitment programme. Andrunache went on to win five Olympic gold medals which puts her at the top of the all-time Olympic medals table for women’s rowing, right there with fellow Romanian Elisabeta Lipa.

Andrunache’s rowing career was stunning. The five Olympic golds came from three Olympic Games as she doubled up in the pair and eight. Andrunache also collected five World Championship titles along with three European Championship titles. She has 33 World Rowing Cup medals – 23 of them gold – all in the pair and eight. This puts her third on the All-time World Rowing Cup medals table.

Looking back on her career Andrunache says she loved the spirit of competition the most.

“This attitude made me conquer almost everything I set my mind to. I had a very well organised sporting life and I worked very, very hard. All of these efforts gave me success and satisfaction.”

Andrunache’s first Olympics, Sydney 2000 came after nine years on the Romanian national team which began as a junior at the age of 15. Her young start enabled her to compete at four junior world championships and already back then she was doubling up and racing in more than one boat class. This became her trademark throughout her career.

Following two more Olympic golds at the 2004 Athens Olympics, Andrunache took a break and had her first child, Stefan Dragos. She then came back to rowing in 2006 with the aim of competing at the 2008 Olympics.

“I was thinking that it would be the last edition of the Olympic Games (for me),” says Andrunache who won gold in the pair and bronze in the eight. She retired and gave birth to her daughter Miruna Mihaela.

“But,” says Andrunache, “fate said ‘no’.”

After a two-year break Andrunache came back to row with best friend and pairs partner, Viorica Susanu. The duo finished fifth at the London 2012 Games.

“I don’t regret it,” says Andrunache. “We had to know how to lose and each beginning has an end too. Andrunache retired for good following a 2012 European Championship win in the eight.

Andrunache did not stay away from rowing for long. After a few months’ ‘rest’, she joined her colleagues from Dinamo Sport Club in Bucharest on the managerial team. Andrunache had studied sports management and she wanted to stay involved in this way. The Club has 23 different sports and is the strongest sports club in Romania. Although rowing remains Andrunache’s favourite sport she says she must treat each sport equally.

She is currently the vice president of the club, ranked as ‘Chief Police Commissioner’ and is the Chair of the Olympic Technical Commission and for Performance in Sport within the Romanian Olympic Committee.

Despite her incredible success Andrunache (nee Damian) is known to be modest and relatively unknown on the international sporting scene. But her legacy remains and in Romania she is known as one of the most medalled athletes ever along with Elisabeta Lipa and gymnast Nadia Comaneci.