Quick Facts
Biography
Gheorghe Gruia Marinescu (October 2, 1940 – December 9, 2015) was a Romanian handball player and world champion in handball. Born in Bucharest, he won the gold medal in the 1964 World Men's Handball Championship and the 1970 World Men's Handball Championship. In 1972 Summer Olympics he won the bronze medal with the Romanian team, becoming at the same time the goalgetter of the tournament with 37 goals.
The International Handball Federation named him in 1992 "The Greatest Handball Player of All Times".
Gruia resided in Mexico City, Mexico since 1978, where he worked as a coach and an official in this sport and is credited with popularizing this sport in the country.
He died on December 9, 2015, in Mexico City following a heart attack. Gruia is considered the 'father of handball' in Mexico.
His daughter, Andreea, is a Mexican former telenovela actress who is known for playing in Spanish language telenovelas on Televisa.
Honours
Team
- Steaua Bucharest
- Romanian League: 1963, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973
- EHF Champions League: 1968
- Romania national team
- World Champion: 1964, 1970