The best sportspersons and coaches of the municipality of Chisinau were offered diplomas of merit and money awards for accomplishments at international competitions in 2022. The award ceremony was held as part of the cultural-sports event “Gala of Sports Stars 2022” that was staged by the Chisinau City Hall and the General Division of Education, Youth and Sport, IPN reports.

Mayor general Ion Ceban mentioned the extraordinary results achieved by Moldova and Chisinau in particular in different areas. He said the City Hall will increase allocations for the sport sector ten times. “I want to thank all the coaches for the trust they put in children and for developing this feeling of trust and victory in them. We have very talented young people with very great results in different fields and towards the end of the year we want to thank you for the efforts you make,” he stated.

Andrei Pavaloi, deputy head of the General Division of Education, Youth and Sport, noted that 1 million lei was earmarked last year for awarding athletes for accomplishments during the year and 3 million lei for co-financing different sports events. All the allocated money was used and more funds were necessary as there were many sportspersons who made Moldova famous abroad.

The best young athletes of the year are: Vasile Diacon, freestyle wrestling; Mihai Chihai, kayak canoe; Ana Dulce, judo; Alin Bagrin, judo, and Alexandrin Guțu, Greco-Roman wrestling.

Oxana Diacenco, judo, and Radu Lefter, freestyle wrestling, became the “Revelations of 2022”.

The best athletes in non-Olympic events of 2022 are: Vladislav Untu, dancesport; Polina Baryshnikova, dancesport, and Sergiu Mîrzenco, triathlon.

Oleg Crețu, judo Paralympic champion, and one of the best para-arm-wrestler of the world Vladimir Butucea, were named “Paralympic Sportspersons of 2022”.

The best athletes of the year were:  Irina Rângaci, women’s wrestling; Denis Vieru, judo; Daniela Cociu, kayak canoe; Maria Olarașu, canoe sprint; Constantin Malachi, swimming; Alexandru Paraskiv, boxing; Anna Matus, dancesport, and Daniel Procopciuc, arm-wrestling.

Tudor Cîrlan and Nicolae Juravski became coaches of the year.

Money awards and diplomas of honor were handed over to managers of sports schools managed by the General Division of Education, Youth and Sport and of sports lyceums of Chisinau.

There were also awarded the best sports journalists, sport venetians, the federation of 2022, the sport promoters in the municipality of Chisinau, the team of the year in Olympic events and the team of the year in non-Olympic events.