Quick Facts
Biography
Maria Cioncan (June 19, 1977 – January 21, 2007) was a middle distance runner from Romania, best known for winning a bronze medal in the 1500 metres event at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Life
Born in Maieru, she set personal bests in both 800 and 1500 metres during the games. Her 2005 season was cut short, and her only notable competition appearance was at the SPAR European Cup in Firenze, Italy where she won the 800 (2:00.88) and placed second in the 1500 (4:07.39). Cioncan's last competition on the top international level was the 2006 World Indoor Championships, where she failed to progress past the first heat of the 800m. Earlier that indoor season she ran an indoor personal best of 2:01.70.
On January 21, 2007, Maria died in a car accident near Pleven, Bulgaria. She was returning from a training camp in Greece when her vehicle flipped over and struck a tree, killing her instantly.
Achievements
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing  Romania | |||||
| 1999 | European U23 Championships | Gothenburg, Sweden | – | 800 m | DNF |
| 7th | 1500 m | 4:14.00 | |||
| 2001 | World Indoor Championships | Lisbon, Portugal | 16th (h) | 1500 m | 4:17.47 |
| 2002 | European Indoor Championships | Vienna, Austria | 11th | 3000 m | 9:08.07 |
| 2003 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 16th (h) | 1500 m | 4:14.52 |
| World Championships | Paris, France | 9th (sf) | 800 m | 2:00.72 | |
| 9th | 1500 m | 4:02.80 | |||
| 2004 | Olympic Games | Athens, Greece | 7th | 800 m | 1:59.62 |
| 3rd | 1500 m | 3:58.39 | |||
| World Athletics Final | Monte Carlo, Monaco | 8th | 800 m | 2:04.55 | |
| 10th | 1500 m | 4:08.09 | |||
| 2006 | World Indoor Championships | Moscow, Russia | 16th (h) | 800 m | 2:05.17 |
Personal bests
- 800 metres - 1:59.44 min (2004)
- 1500 metres - 3:58.39 min (2004)
- 3000 metres - 8:57.71 min (2002)