Romania’s Elena Amelia Racea dazzled in artistic gymnastics, claiming two gold medals in the vault and balance beam events. Adding to her success, she earned three silver medals in the all-around, uneven bars, and floor exercise, making her one of the standout athletes of the competition.
Irish runner Ciara Mageean broke the championship record in the 1500m race with an astonishing time of 4:15.56. Her incredible pace and determination left the competition far behind, securing her a historic win in athletics.
Tatiana Cicanci delivered Moldova’s only gold medal at the 2009 EYOF, triumphing in the triple jump with an impressive leap of 13.37m. Her victory was a significant achievement, earning one of the country’s rare podium finishes in the event.
The 2009 Summer European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) took place in Tampere, Finland, from July 19 to 26. This multi-sport event, held every two years, brought together over 3302 young athletes from 49 countries to compete in 9 different sports, including athletics, basketball, gymnastics, and others. The festival was opened by Finland’s President Tarja Halonen, and the mascot was “Finx,” a Eurasian lynx, symbolising agility and strength. The competitions were spread across eight venues in Tampere, with the main opening ceremony held at the Tampere Ice Stadium