Marian DRAGULESCU

Marian Drăgulescu, a specialist on vault and floor, first competed at the senior level at the 1999 World Championships. Only one year later he won his first international medals with gold on floor, silver with the team, and bronze in all-around at the 2000 European Championships. In the same year he also participated in his first Olympics, reaching the final on floor and placing sixth. The following years he won floor golds at the 2001 and 2002 Worlds and 2004 European Championships and vault golds at the 2001 Worlds and 2002 and 2004 European Championships. At the 2004 competition, held only a few months before the Olympics, he also won gold in all-around and with the team.

At his second Olympics Drăgulescu won bronze with the team, silver on floor, and was on the way to winning gold in vault, when, after being in the lead, he fell on his second jump performing the "Drăgulescu Vault" (handspring double front with half turn), but he hung on for bronze. In 2005 he again became World Champion on vault and European Champion on floor and in 2006 won gold on vault and floor at the Worlds as well as gold on vault at the European Championships. During the 2007 European Championships Drăgulescu was seriously injured when he landed hard on his head during the floor exercise, which prevented him from competing at the 2007 Worlds.

After his recovery he competed in the 2008 Olympics, but failed to medal this time. After retiring for some time Drăgulescu returned to the 2009 World Championships and again won gold on floor and vault. Drăgulescu was named gymnast of the year in 2002 and Romanian Sportsman of the Year in 2005 and 2009. His total medal records are eight gold and one silver at Worlds, nine gold, three silver, and two bronze at European Championships, in addition to his three Olympics medals.