Two Politehnica Timișoara champions supported by Poli Bike Challenge participants
Two Politehnica Timișoara champions supported by Poli Bike Challenge participants
Politehnica University Timișoara gathered hundreds of people for the first edition of Poli Bike Chanllenge, a competition registered in the calendar of the Romanian Federation of Cycling. The competition had a charitable purpose given that the money were collecting to support two Politehnica Timișoara champions who have outstanding sports results but poor financial conditions.
The event was organized in the context of the 100-year anniversary since the establishment of Politehnica Timișoara Sports Society, sports being one of the cornerstone values of Politehnica Timișoara since its very beginning.
The cycling competition took place on April 9, 2022 and was organized in partnership with Velocitas Sports Club Association, Corratec, Tazz and Timișoara City Hall and the money collected as participation tax, a total of 8,870 RON, were donated to CSU Politehnica Timișoara champions in a festive ceremony on Wednesday, April 13, 2022 at the UPT Library.
Politehnica University Timișoara Rector, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Eng. Florin Drăgan, Ph.D., declared that “UPT has always promoted Timișoara sports since the university has been founded. Even more so on the Centenary of Politehnica Sports and after overcoming the pandemic, we wanted to host a sports event that would involve the people of Timișoara. The success of Poli Bike Challenge is also proven by the great number of participants and the fact that all the participation fees were donated to two sports champions confirms that Politehnica Timișoara supports all the sportsmen in the city, even more so those with outstanding results.”
Iulia Drăgoi, 22 years old, is a real fighter. She did not have an easy life, but it is not something she likes to talk about. She started athletics at 8 in her hometown of Râmnicu Sărat, coached by Dumitru Ureche and her first notable result was first place at the Juniors 3 2000m hurdles race at the National Championship. College brought her to Timișoara and for two years she had been registered at CSU Politehnica Timișoara. Her results speak for themselves: 3000m steeplechase national champion, half marathon third place, cross-country vice-champion, team half marathon and cross-country champion, national marathon vice-champion and team marathon champion, third place at mountain running and national champion at team mountain running. Ambitious, Iulia Drăgoi has Gabriela Szabo as a model and her goal is to reach the Olympic Games, an objective she feels is hard but achievable. Until then, she will get her bachelor diploma in the summer and start a masters degree and after she would like a coaching position, maybe even at CSU Politehnica Timișoara.
Cosmin Ardelean, 19 years old, is registered with CSU Politehnica Timișoara at the modern pentathlon section. He was born in Valcan, near Sânnicolau Mare, and his life took a tragic turn at the age of 5 when he lost his mother and was taken in by a children’s home in Timișoara. He finds an escape in sport, especially in athletics, which he started practicing seriously after his admission into Banatul Sports High School. After a year of training he had his first notable result – national vice-champion at the 800m race at 15 years old. At the age of 17, he moves to the CSU Politehnica Timișoara athletics section and, later, to the modern pentathlon section. He is a double national champion, in 2020 and 2021, at the laser run race (running and shooting) and in late April, in Bucharest, he will defend his title. His target is to enter international competitions. Until then, he balances training sessions with his job, given that he had become a firefighter a few weeks ago to be able to pay for rent for him and his brother in Timișoara.
