Moldova at the 2010 Winter Olympics

Moldova achieved independence after the break-up of Soviet Union in 1991 and its National Olympic Committee was formed on 29 January 1991. As the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Moldova was only recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1993, Moldovan athletes participated as a part of a unified team at the 1992 Summer Olympics at Barcelona. Moldavan athletes competed from 1952 to 1988 as a part of Soviet Union.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/countries/MDA|title=Moldova at the Olympics|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}} The 1994 Winter Olympics marked Moldova's first participation as an independent nation in the Olympic Games. After the nation made its debut in the Winter Olympics at the 1994 Games, this edition of the Games in 2010 marked the nation's fifth appearance at the Winter Games.

The 2010 Winter Olympics was held in Vancouver held between 12 and 28 February 2010.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com/en/olympic-games/Vancouver-2010|title=Vancouver 2010|work=Olympics.com|access-date=3 February 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/editions/57|title=2010 Winter Olympics|work=Olympedia|access-date=3 February 2024}} The Moldovan team consisted of seven athletes including two women who competed across four sports.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/countries/MDA/editions/57|title=Moldova at the 2010 Winter Olympics|work=Olympedia|access-date=3 February 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/MDA/winter/2010/|title=Moldova at 2010 Winter Olympics|work=Sports Reference|access-date=1 June 2001|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417092656/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/countries/MDA/winter/2010/|archive-date=17 April 2020}} Victor Pinzaru served as the country's flag-bearer during the opening and closing ceremonies.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/flagbearers?edition_id=57|title=Flag bearers at the 2010 Winter Olympics|work=Olympedia|access-date=3 February 2024}} Moldova did not win any medal in the Games, and has not won a Winter Olympics medal as of these Games.

File:2010 Opening Ceremony - Moldova entering.jpg]]

Moldova sent seven athletes including two women who competed in four sports at the Games.

{{main|Alpine skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics}}

The basic qualification mark for the alpine skiing events stipulated an average of less than 140 points in the list published by the International Ski Federation (FIS) as of 18 January 2010 for competitors ranked outside the top 100.{{cite web|url=http://www.fis-ski.com/data/document/qual-criteria-may-09.pdf|title=Qualification Systems for XXI Olympic Winter Games, Vancouver|work=International Ski Federation|access-date=6 December 2009|archive-date=17 June 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090617081323/http://www.fis-ski.com/data/document/qual-criteria-may-09.pdf|url-status=live}}{{rp|page=1}} The quotas were allocated further based on athletes satisfying other criteria, with a maximum of 22 athletes (maximum of 14 male or 14 female athletes) from a single participating NOC with not more than four participants in a single event.{{rp|page=2}} Christophe Roux achieved the basic qualification mark to qualify for the men's giant slalom and slalom events. Urs Imboden qualified for the slalom event. Both Roux and Imboden are naturalized former Swiss skiers.{{cite web|url=http://www.rian.ru/vancouver/20100112/204078270.html|title=Молдавию на Играх-2010 будет представлять интернациональный состав|trans-title=Moldova at the 2010 Games will be represented by the international composition|date=12 January 2010|access-date=1 June 2024|lang=ru|work=Rian}}

The main event was held on 19 February 2010 at the Whistler Olympic Park.{{cite web|url=http://www.vancouver2010.com/dl/00/44/31/-/44312/prop=data/o1kl3j/44312.pdf|title=Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games Competition Schedule v13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116005723/http://www.vancouver2010.com/dl/00/44/31/-/44312/prop=data/o1kl3j/44312.pdf|access-date=16 January 2010|archive-date=16 January 2010|url-status=dead|work=International Olympic Committee}} In the giant slalom event, Roux completed his first run in 1:22.70. He took slightly longer to complete the course in the second run at 1:24.42. With a combined time of 2:47.12, he finished 44th amongst 89 competitors in the overall classification.{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/vancouver-2010/results/alpine-skiing/giant-slalom-men|title=Alpine skiing Giant Slalom, Men|work=Olympics.com|access-date=1 June 2024|archive-date=9 March 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220309212517/https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/vancouver-2010/results/alpine-skiing/giant-slalom-men|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-alpine-skiing/schedule-and-results/mens-giant-slalom-2nd-run_asm030102aY.html|title=Alpine skiing schedule and results|work=International Olympic Committee|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100408202348/http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-alpine-skiing/schedule-and-results/mens-giant-slalom-2nd-run_asm030102aY.html|archive-date=8 April 2010|url-status=dead}} In the slalom event, Roux recorded a time of 51.90 seconds over the {{cvt|610|m}} course in his first run, and crossed the finish with a time of 53.85 seconds in his second run. He was ranked 28th amongst the 101 competitors in the event. Imboden did not finish the event, and was not classified.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/924547|title=Slalom men|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}}

File:Natalia_Levchenkova_Ostersund_2008.jpg competed in three biathlon events]]

{{main|Biathlon at the 2010 Winter Olympics}}

Biathlon competitions were held at the Whistler Olympic Park from 13 to 26 February.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/editions/57/sports/BTH|title=Biathlon|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}} FTwo our Moldovan athletes participated across six events in biathlon. The biathlon events consisted of a skiing a specific course multiple times depending on the length of the competition, with intermediate shooting at various positions. For every shot missed, a penalty of one minute is applied in individual events, and the participant is required to ski through a penalty loop in sprint events.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/923480|title=Biathlon, men's sprint|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/923481|title=Biathlon, men's individual|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}}

In the men's events, debutante and flag-bearer Victor Pinzaru finished 70th in the sprint event and 85th in the individual event.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/victor-pinzaru|title=Victor Pinzaru|work=Olympics.com|access-date=1 June 2024}} In the women's events, Levtchenkova, who represented Moldova for the second consecutive Winter Games, participated in all three of the women's individual medal events.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/natalia-levtchenkova|title=Natalia Levtchenkova|work=Olympics.com|access-date=1 June 2024}} She is a Russian born athlete, who became a naturalized citizen of Moldova and won the Biathlon European Championships in 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/110004|title=Natalia Levtchenkova|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}} In the medal events, Levtchenkova registered her best finish in the women's individual event, finishing 36th amongst the 87 participants.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/923491|title=Biathlon, women's individual|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}}

File:61_Alexandra_Camenșcic_MDA.jpg competed in the women's freestyle event]]

{{main|Cross-country skiing at the 2010 Winter Olympics}}

For the cross-country skiing event, athletes with a maximum of 300 distance points at the end of qualifying on 18 January 2010 were allowed to compete in the freestyle distance event.{{rp|page=4}} After a maximum quota of 20 athletes (maximum of 12 male or 12 female athletes) from a single participating NOC was reached, the remaining quotas were allocated further to athletes satisfying standard criteria from other NOCs.{{rp|page=5}} Sergiu Balan and Alexandra Camenscic represented the nation, and competed in the sprint events. Both of them made their debut in the Winter Olympics.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/sergiu-balan|title=Sergiu Balan|work=Olympics.com|access-date=1 June 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com/en/athletes/alexandra-camenscicn|title=Alexandra Camenscic|work=Olympics.com|access-date=1 June 2024}}

The main event was held at the Whistler Olympic Park. In the men's freestyle event, Balan completed the {{cvt|15|km}} course in just over 42 minutes.{{cite web|url=http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=CC&raceid=16235|date=15 February 2010|title= 2010 Winter Olympics Cross-country skiing men's 15 km freestyle results|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628202254/http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=CC&raceid=16235|archive-date=28 June 2011|access-date=16 February 2010|work=International Ski Federation}}{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/olympic-games/vancouver-2010/results/cross-country-skiing/15km-men|title=Cross-country 15km classical, Men|work=Olympics.com|access-date=1 June 2024}} He finished the race in 86th position (out of 96 competitors), more than eight minutes behind the winner Dario Cologna of Switzerland. In the women's freestyle event, Camenscic finished 70th amongst the 78 competitors.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/923578|title=Results, Cross-country skiing freestyle women|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}}

{{main|Luge at the 2010 Winter Olympics}}

The qualification for the Luge event was based on the cumulative world luge ranking points from 1 November 2009 to 31 December 2010 with a minimum requirement of having competed in five world cup events and having finished within the top 31 in any of the events. The top ranked athletes qualified directly and further qualification spots were given to nations that had athletes who met the minimum standards and had not already qualified for the event.{{cite report|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01619/IOC_official_repor_1619339a.pdf|title=Official report on the accident of Georgian athlete Nodar Kumaritashvli|work=International Luge Federation|date=12 February 2010|access-date=10 November 2023|archive-date=27 July 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240727053737/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01619/IOC_official_repor_1619339a.pdf|url-status=live}} Bogdan Macovei represented the nation, and competed in the men's singles event.{{cite web|url=http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-luge-athletes/|title=Luge Athletes|access-date=1 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228211535/http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-luge-athletes/|archive-date=28 February 2010|url-status=dead|work=International Olympic Committee}} This was Macovei's second appearance in the Winter Olympics, having made his debut in the previous Winter Games.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com/en/athletesbogdan-macovei|title=Bogdan Macovei|work=Olympics.com|access-date=1 June 2024}} He is a Romanian, who became a naturalized citizen of Moldova.

Luge events were held at the Whistler Sliding Centre from 13 to 17 February.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/editions/57/sports/LUG|title=Luge|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}} During training on 12 February 2010, Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili was killed when he crashed at the last turn and hit a steel pole when going over speeds of {{cvt|143|km/h}}.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/sports/olympics/13luge.html?hp=&pagewanted=print|title=Luge Athlete Killed in Training Crash at Olympics|work=New York Times|date=12 February 2010|access-date=12 February 2010|archive-date=23 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150623084435/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/13/sports/olympics/13luge.html?hp=&pagewanted=print|url-status=live}} As a result, the start of the men's single competition was revised to reduce speed and the wall at corner where Kumaritashvili crashed was raised.{{cite news|url=http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=40313.html#officials+delay+reopening+olympic+sliding+track|title=Officials delay reopening of sliding track|work=CTV|date=13 February 2010|access-date=1 June 2010|archive-date=13 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100313001711/http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=40313.html#officials+delay+reopening+olympic+sliding+track|url-status=live}}

In his first run, Macovei clocked a time of 50.325 seconds, finishing nearly two seconds behind the leader Felix Loch. In the second run, he had his best run, clocking 50.175 to be ranked 32nd amongst the 39 participants. In the penultimate run, he completed the circuit with a time of 50.423 to be ranked 33rd. In the final attempt, he clocked 50.331 to finish with a total time of 3:21.354 and was classified in the 33rd position out of the 39 athletes.{{cite web|url=http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-luge/schedule-and-results/mens-singles-run-1_lgm010101mA.html|title=Luge at the 2010 Winter Olympics - Men's Singles|work=International Olympic Committee|access-date=1 June 2011|date=14 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228211220/http://www.vancouver2010.com/olympic-luge/schedule-and-results/mens-singles-run-1_lgm010101mA.html|archive-date=28 February 2010|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/results/924220|title=Luge Singles, Men|work=Olympedia|access-date=1 June 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics}}

Category:2010 in Moldovan sport

Category:Nations at the 2010 Winter Olympics

2010