The Romanian Gymnastics Federation announced on Friday evening the death of Sonia Ivan, a member of the first tricolor team that won a medal at the Olympic Games – Melbourne 1956.
Sonia Ivan was 89 years old PHOTO: FR Gymnastics
“Component of the first gymnastics team to win medals at the Olympic Games, bronze in Melbourne in 1956, Sonia Iovan went to do gymnastics in the sky. God rest her in peace!“, transmits FRG.
Born in 1935, in Cluj-Napoca, Sonia Ivan was a multiple national champion and a member of the national teams for a decade, for which she was trained by coaches Maria Simionescu, Petre Dungaciu and Caius Jianu.
She was a national champion: 7 titles with the Science team (1959-1965), 4 in the individual compound, 4 in the beam, 2 each in the parallel bars and jumps, one on the floor.
He was part of the national teams for more than 10 years, contributing to prestigious performances, some in the first place.
Romanian international champion in 1960 (floor), 1961 (jumps, parallel bars and beam), 1963 (compound individual, parallel bars and beam), 1964 (jumps and parallel bars). He participated in 3 editions of the Olympic Games: 1956 (Melbourne) – the first Olympic team bronze medal and the 14th place in the individual compound; 1960 (Rome) – team bronze medal, 2 places 5, in individual compound and jumping, 2 places 6, floor and parallel bars; 1964 (Tokyo) – 6th place with the team and 14th in the individual composite.
At the WC of 1958 (Moscow) – bronze medal with the team (the first medal obtained at the WC), and at the edition of 1962 (Prague) – 9th place with the team and 20th in the individual compound. Participant in 3 editions of the European Championships (held at started under the name of European Cup) achieved the following results: 1957 (Bucharest) – silver on beam, 2 bronze medals in individual compound and vaulting, 4th place on floor and 5th on parallel bars; 1959 (Krakow) – silver on floor, bronze on individual compound, 4th place on parallel bars; 1961 (Leipzig) – 8th place in individual composite. In 1966-1967, he was a federal coach.
After graduating from the institute, she worked in education, going through all the didactic levels up to that of university professor at the Academy of Economic Studies, where she was the head of the physical education department.
