Andreea Raducans

Born in Romania, Andreea Raducan began her career as a gymnast. Ever since she was 12, she had been learning and improving upon her gymnastic skills and many were often shocked by her talent when it came to dance and presentation, as well as the fact that she was doing such difficult stunts at such a young age. In 1998 at the Junior European Championships, she won silver on the balance beam. Her first top win came at the 1999 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Tianjin where her team won a gold medal and she earned 2 on her own in the floor competition. In 2000 at the European Championships in Europe she won silver in her floor routine and her team won bronze

The Losing Point

The 2000 Sydney Olympics proved to be horrible. Not only was the gymnastics equipment set up improperly, various other gymnasts were hurt. Somehow Raducan was able to complete her routines unharmed. However, after winning a silver and gold medal as well as gold from a team win, Raducan tested positive for pseudoephedrine, a stimulant but also a decongestant. Her coach supported her, stating that she was underage and the chemical was found because she was given Nurofen for a cold. Raducan even stated that the pills made her feel dizzy and did not help her. In the end she lost her god medal despite the appeals and the doctor was placed on 2 years suspension. Despite all of this controversy, in 2001 at the Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Ghent, she earned a bronze in vault and all-around, as well as a gold medal in floor, balance beam, and her team also won gold. Today she is retired and works as a sportscaster, model, and other jobs.