Nicolae Linca

{{Short description|Romanian boxer (1929–2008)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2016}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

|name=

|image=Nicolae Linca.jpg

| image_size =

|caption=

|birth_date= 1 January 1929

|birth_place= Cergăul Mare, Blaj, Romania

|death_date= 27 June 2008 (aged 79)[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418082600/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/li/nicolae-linca-1.html Nicolae Linca]. sports-reference.com

|death_place= Feisa, Romania

| height =

| weight =

| sport = Boxing

| club = Dinamo Bucharest[http://www.cosr.ro/sportiv/nicolae-linca Nicolae Linca]. Romanian Olympic Committee

| coach = Constantin Nour.{{cite web|url=http://www.crisana.ro/stiri/sport-2/olimpiada-desfasurata-pe-doua-continente-11458.html|title=Olimpiada desfăşurată pe două continente|language=Romanian|accessdate=5 April 2014}}

| retired=

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry | {{ROM}} }}

{{MedalCompetition|Romania National Amateur Boxing Championships}}

{{MedalGold| 1949 Bucharest | -67 kg}}

{{MedalGold| 1950 Bucharest | -67 kg}}

{{MedalGold| 1951 Bucharest | -67 kg}}

{{MedalSilver| 1952 Bucharest | -67 kg}}

{{MedalGold| 1953 Galați, Brașov and Bucharest | -67 kg}}

{{MedalSilver| 1958 Bucharest | -67 kg}}

{{MedalSilver| 1960 Bucharest | -71 kg}}

{{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}}

{{MedalGold| 1956 Melbourne | -67 kg}}

{{MedalCompetition|European Amateur Championships}}

{{MedalBronze| 1953 Warsaw|-67 kg}}

{{MedalBronze| 1955 Berlin|-67 kg}}

}}

Nicolae Linca (1 January 1929 – 27 June 2008) was a Romanian amateur welterweight boxer. After winning bronze medals at the 1953 and 1955 European championships, he became Romania's first Olympic champion in boxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics. Fighting with a broken finger, he won against Fred Tiedt in a 3:2 split decision. Today, he remains the only Romanian boxer to win gold at the Olympics. His amateur record upon retirement was 281-25. After competing as an amateur, Linca turned to coaching in the sport. By the 1990s he was living in poverty and suffering from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's diseases, which led to his deaths at the age of 79. In 2005 he was awarded the Sports Merit Order of First Class.{{cite web|url=http://sport.hotnews.ro/stiri-alte_sporturi-3377925-nicolae-linca-marele-pugilist-romaniei-stins-din-viata.htm|title=Nicolae Linca, marele pugilist al Romaniei, s-a stins din viata|language=Romanian|accessdate=5 April 2014}}