A man and a woman were named the best sportspersons of 2016 by the Sports Press Association of Moldova for the second time, as in 2012. Then, Cristina Iovu and Anatol Caracu were named the best after medaling bronze at the London Olympics, but those medals were withdrawn this year, IPN reports.

In the 2016 Olympic Games, athlete Zalina Marghieva and weightlifter Alexandru Spac ranked fifth. The two are followed in the rankings by weightlifter Sergey Tchekir, who finished sixth in Rio. Footballer Alexandru Gatcan was ranked fifth by journalists’ preferences. He was the captain of FC Rostov during six matches of the Champions League and tied for the national team of Moldova in Tbilisi. The next six positions are taken, in descending order, by tennis player Radu Albot, archers Dan Olaru and Alexandra Marca, judoka Valeriu Duminica, taekwondo athlete Aaron Cook, and weightlifter Natalia Prishchepa.

Canoeist Sergey Tarnovschi, who won bronze in Rio, could not compete for the title of the best sportsperson owing to dope suspicions. The decision was taken by the Executive Committee of the Sports Press Association of Moldova.

Soslan Marghiev, who trains his children Zalina, Sergey and Marina who all qualified for the Rio Olympics, was named coach of 2016. Judoka Denis Vierum, who last month became European youth champion, was conferred the title of the youngest athlete. The national beach soccer team of Moldova, which qualified for the playoffs of the qualifying round of the World Cup for the first time, was named the team of the year.