February 1, 2009

Beijing Olympic marathon Gold Medalist Constantina Dita was recognized on Saturday with Romania’s “National Award for Sports,” the country’s most prestigious annual sports award. In a gala ceremony presided over by Romanian President Traian Basescu at the country’s main Olympic Center in Snagov, Dita’s main competition for the award was from several of Romania’s other 2008 Olympic champions, most notably Olympic and European judo champion Alina Dumitru. Following a standing ovation from the capacity audience and President Basescu, Dita commented, “I am extremely happy to be awarded with this prize. It is really an honor to be placed alongside all those sportsmen who have received this award since 1933.”

The annual award recognizes not only singular athletic accomplishment, but also lifetime achievement at the highest international levels. Athletes can only receive the award once in their life. Past winners have included such Romanian notables as gymnasts Nadia Comaneci, Iolanda Balas, and Marian Dragulescu, and tennis player Ilie Nastase.

Dita had previously been feted in various year-end award ceremonies in Romania during the past holiday season, but made a special 48-hour visit back to Romania for these ceremonies. She departed from Romania on Sunday for her United States residence in Erie, Colorado, where she will resume training for April’s Flora London Marathon, to be held on April 26, 2009.

Accompanying Photograph: Dita displays her award following Saturday’s ceremonies.

Questions should be directed to Brendan Reilly at Dita’s management firm, Boulder Wave, Inc. Telephone +1-303-554-0597, E-Mail boulderwave@comcast.net