Marius Urzică

Marius Daniel Urzică (born 30 September 1975 in Toplița, Romania)[1] is a Romanian gymnast. Urzică is an Olympic champion, a three-time world champion and a three-time European champion on pommel horse. He competed at three Olympic Games, medaling each time on pommel horse (gold Sydney 2000, silver Atlanta 1996 and silver Athens 2004) and contributed to the team bronze in Athens 2004. His unique technique and style of performance have won him the recognition as one of the greatest masters on this piece of apparatus ever, together with Miroslav Cerar and Zoltán Magyar.[2] Known as "The King of the Pommels" in 2001 he achieved the maximum score of 10.00 on this piece of apparatus at the Glasgow Grand Prix.[2][3] Two elements in artistic gymnastics, one on pommel horse[4] and one on parallel bars[5] are named after him.

Marius Urzică
Personal information
Country represented Romania
Born (1975-09-30) 30 September 1975
Toplița, Harghita County, Romania
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
ClubC.S. Dinamo Bucharest[1]
Head coach(es)József Ferencz
Assistant coach(es)Dan Grecu
Eponymous skillsUrzicǎ (pommel horse), Urzicǎ (parallel bars)
Medal record
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Olympic Games 1 2 1
World Championships 3 1 1
European Championships 5 2 0
Summer Universiade 0 1 0
Total 9 6 2
Representing  Romania
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2000 Sydney Pommel Horse
Silver medal – second place 1996 AtlantaPommel Horse
Silver medal – second place 2004 AthensPommel Horse
Bronze medal – third place 2004 AthensTeam
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1994 Brisbane Pommel horse
Gold medal – first place 2001 Ghent Pommel horse
Gold medal – first place 2002 Debrecen Pommel horse
Silver medal – second place 1999 Tianjin Pommel horse
Bronze medal – third place 1995 Sabae Team
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1994 Prague Pommel horse
Gold medal – first place 2000 Bremen Pommel horse
Gold medal – first place 2002 Patras Team
Gold medal – first place 2002 Patras Pommel horse
Gold medal – first place 2004 Ljublijana Team
Silver medal – second place 2000 Bremen Team
Silver medal – second place 2005 Debrecen Pommel horse
Universiade
Silver medal – second place 1995 Fukuoka Pommel horse

He was the founder of Romanian Golden Team.

Skills

Urzicǎ had difficult routines, which he always tried to execute without fault. Among his skills on the pommel horse was a super E element called "the four Russians on one handle"[2] and a move named after him rated C in the Code of points.[4] On parallel bars he was known for his eponymous salto forward to 1/1 turn to upper arm hang rated E.[5]

References
  1. Sports Reference Marius Urzicǎ
  2. Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique Archived 2009-07-05 at the Wayback Machine Marius Urzicǎ
  3. Gymn-Forum Results 2001 Glasgow Grand Prix Men Final Events
  4. Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine Code of points Men Artistic Gymnastics 2009–2012 page 69
  5. Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique Archived 2011-07-21 at the Wayback Machine Code of points Men Artistic Gymnastics 2009–2012 page 114
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