Maria Samungi

From the late 1970s until the mid-1980s Maria Samungi was one of the best track sprinters in Romania. Samungi won her first national title with victory in the 200 metres in 1978, before doing the 200 and 400 metres double one year later. She won another 400 metres title in 1980, followed by a final 200 metres title in 1984. On the international stage she won her first medals at the 1978 edition of the Balkan Games with silver in both the 200 metres and the 4 x 100 metres relay. Moving up to the 4 x 400 metres saw Samungi win silver at the Games in 1979 and 1980, before capturing gold in 1984. She just missed out on a medal in the same event at the 1980 Moskva Olympics when the Romanian quartet finished fourth in the final.

Personal Best: 400 – 51.6 (1980).