Bezede Wins Moldovan Shot Put, Misses Olympics
Dimitriana Bezede secured a comfortable victory in the Moldovan national shot put competition, but narrowly missed achieving the distance needed to qualify for the Paris Olympics.
The 29-year-old athlete's winning throw measured 17 metres and 3 centimetres.
To qualify for Paris, Bezede would have needed to throw 18 metres and 80 centimetres. Despite this, she remains confident about her chances. "I'm disappointed," Bezede expressed after the competition, "I recently threw 17.86 metres at the Balkan Championships. Unfortunately, I suffered a glute injury four weeks ago. But I know I can reach the qualifying standard – it's very possible for me, and I'm sure I'll achieve it."
In the men's competition, Alexandru Mazur claimed the title. This comes just two weeks after his gold-medal win at the Balkan Championships for athletes under 20, where he set a new age-category record with a throw of 20 metres. Mazur's performance at the national championship was more relaxed, with a winning distance of 17 metres and 92 centimetres.
"I wanted to set a new record and I was close," Mazur reflected. "My best is 18 metres and 26 centimetres. I'm a little tired mentally after the Balkan Championships, but that's okay."
Javelin specialist Andrian Mardare also participated in the shot put, finishing second. "For us, it's a welcome challenge," Mardare remarked. "Every competition is a celebration, and these events help us prepare for the javelin. We often push the shot put and enjoy competing with the boys."
Despite a recent injury, Petru Popescu won the triple jump with a result of 14 metres and 82 centimetres. "My goal is to jump 16 metres and prepare for even stronger championships," said Popescu.
Adriana Talpa took the women's high jump title with a winning height of one metre and 68 centimetres. "I recently jumped one metre and 70 at the FAM competition, earning my candidate for master of sports title. I couldn't quite surpass that today, but I'm still happy with my performance," said Talpă.
Anatolie Balan, President of the Athletics Federation, emphasised the championship's importance for international preparation. "2024 is an Olympic year, and these events are crucial. Our focus is on the athletes in our national team, supporting their success at major competitions like the European Championships, the Small Countries Championships, and of course, the Olympic Games."
The Moldovan Indoor Athletics Championships drew approximately 200 athletes who competed across 20 events.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
