Quick Facts
Biography
Simona Staicu (born May 5, 1971 in Băileşti, Romania) is a Romanian-born Hungarian long-distance and marathon runner. Transferring her allegiance from Romania in 2000 to compete internationally for Hungary, Staicu has won numerous titles in the half-marathon, and has attained a personal best of 2:29:59 at the Milano City Marathon in Milan, Italy. Staicu trains under the tutelage of her husband, coach, and former runner András Juhász, as a member of the track and field team, at Budapesti Vasutas Sport Club in Budapest.
Staicu qualified for the Hungarian team, as a 33-year-old, in the women's marathon at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. She registered an IAAF A-standard and a 2004 seasonal best of 2:36:46, following her victory at the Osaka Marathon in Japan. Staicu finished the race with a forty-fifth place time in 2:48:57 from a vast field of 83 marathon runners, just twelve seconds slower than her entry standard.