Judoka Denis Vieru was named the best athlete of Moldova in 2019 by the National Sports Press Association. He won bronze at the World Championship, became champion at the World University Games and won three more gold medals at international tournaments, IPN reports.
Greco-Roman wrestler Victor Ciobanu, who was chosen the athlete of 2018, ranked second. Mihai Cucu’s pupil achieved good results this year too. He became European champion and won bronze at the European Games held in Minsk.
Twenty-year-old wrestler Anastasia Nikita also medalled at these two competitions. At the European Championship in Bucharest and at the European Games in Minsk she won bronze. Furthermore, Anastasia secured a place at the Tokyo Olympic Games after ranking fifth at the World Championship.
Among the top ten athletes are tennis player Radu Albot, athlete Zalina Petrivskaya, wrestler Piotr Ianulov, swimmer Tatiana Salcuțan, kickboxer Maxim Cazacu, archers Dan Olaru and Alexandra Mârca and taekwondo practitioner Stepan Dimitrov.
Denis Vieru’s trainer Veaceslav Bacal was named the coach of 2019, while the national futsal team that reached the second qualifying round of the World Championship became the best team.
