Ion Popa (born 2 February 1957) is a Romanian-born, former Australian representative rower – a national champion, world champion, dual Olympian and Olympic medal winner.

Personal

Born in

Romania Romania ( ; ro, România ) is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern, and Southeast Europe, Southeastern Europe. It borders Bulgaria to the south, Ukraine to the north, Hungary to the west, S ...

, Popa rowed for his country of birth and was a member of the Romanian police force prior to his 1978 defection to Australia. In 1984 he married fellow Australian Olympic rower, Susan Chapman. Their daughter Rosemary Popa (born 1991) is an Australian national champion rower. A dual American-Australian citizen, Rosemary has represented both the USA and Australia at

World Rowing Championships The World Rowing Championships is an international rowing regatta organized by FISA (the International Rowing Federation). It is a week-long event held at the end of the northern hemisphere summer and in non-Olympic years is the highlight of the ...

. In 2010 Popa was inducted as a member of the Rowing Victoria Hall of Fame.

Club and state rowing

His senior rowing in Australia was initially with the

Mercantile Rowing Club The Mercantile Rowing Club is based in Melbourne, Australia on the Yarra River. It was founded in 1880 and has occupied its current site since 1885. More than 40 Mercantillians have represented Australia at Olympic Games. Club history A group o ...

in Melbourne from 1979, and then since 1983 with the Banks Rowing Club where he has been a long-time committee man. Popa was selected in Victorian state representative King's Cup crews contesting the men's Interstate Eight-Oared Championship at the

Australian Rowing Championships Australian(s) may refer to: Australia * Australia, a country * Australians, citizens of the Commonwealth of Australia ** European Australians ** Anglo-Celtic Australians, Australians descended principally from British colonists ** Aboriginal Aus ...

. He stroked the eight in 1981 and 1982 and was in the seven seat in 1984, 1986, 1988 and 1991. Those Victorian crews were victorious in 1986, 1988 and 1991.

International representative rowing

Popa raced for Romania at the

1977 World Rowing Championships The 1977 World Rowing Championships was the 6th World Rowing Championships. The championships were held from 19 to 28 August 1977 on the Bosbaan rowing lake in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Medal summary About 556 rowers from 28 countries competed ...

in a

coxless four A coxless four is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for four persons who propel the boat with sweep oars, without a coxswain. The crew consists of four rowers, each having one oar. There are two rowers on th ...

. Popa competed for Australia at the

1983 World Rowing Championships The 1983 World Rowing Championships were World Rowing Championships that were held from 3 to 4 September 1983 at Wedau in Duisburg, West Germany. Medal summary Men's events Women's events Medals table Seventeen nations won medals of th ...

in the men's eight who took the bronze medal. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics Popa rowed at seven in the Australian men's VIII who took the bronze medal. At the 1986

Nottingham, England Nottingham ( , locally ) is a city and unitary authority area in Nottinghamshire, East Midlands, England. It is located north-west of London, south-east of Sheffield and north-east of Birmingham. Nottingham has links to the legend of Robin ...

Popa was in the seven seat of the victorious Australian men's eight. It was Australia's first and only World Champion title in the men's eight. That same year at the

1986 Commonwealth Games The 1986 Commonwealth Games ( gd, Geamannan a 'Cho-fhlaitheis 1986) were held in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 24 July and 2 August 1986. They were the second Games to be held in Edinburgh. Thirty two of the eligible fifty nine countries (largel ...

in Edinburgh, Popa won gold in the Australian men's eight. Popa was again at seven in the Australian men's eight which finished in fifth place at the

1988 Summer Olympics The 1988 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad () and commonly known as Seoul 1988 ( ko, 서울 1988, Seoul Cheon gubaek palsip-pal), was an international multi-sport event held from 17 September to 2 October ...

in Seoul.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Popa, Ion 1957 births Sportsmen from New South Wales Rowers from Sydney Australian people of Romanian descent Australian male rowers Rowers at the 1984 Summer Olympics Rowers at the 1988 Summer Olympics Olympic medalists in rowing Living people World Rowing Championships medalists for Australia Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for Australia Commonwealth Games medallists in rowing Commonwealth Games gold medallists for Australia Rowers at the 1986 Commonwealth Games Medallists at the 1986 Commonwealth Games