Larisa Andreea Iordache born June 19, 1996 is a Romanian artistic gymnast. She won a bronze medal as part of the Romanian team at the 2012 Summer Olympics. She get a Bronze medal on Floor Exercise in the last World Championships held in Antwerp 2013. She also obtained multiple medals at the 2012 European Championships.
Larisa Iordache began gymnastics at the age of five. She was taking ballet classes but wanted to begin gymnastics after watching it on TV and her grandmother took her to her first event. She has an older brother, Razvan, who plays soccer.
Junior career
2010
In April, Iordache competed at the 2010 European Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Birmingham, United Kingdom. She contributed an all around score of 55.550 towards the Romanian team’s second place finish and individually she placed third in the all around final with a score of 55.675. In event finals, she placed fourth on vault scoring 13.862, second on balance beam scoring 14.575, and tied first on floor scoring 14.275.
In September, Iordache competed at the Romanian Championships in Resita, Romania. She won the all around competition with a score of 58.400.
In October, Iordache competed at the Schiltigheim International in Schiltigheim, France. She won the all around final with a score of 58.000. In event finals, she placed second on vault scoring 14.350, first on uneven bars scoring 14.250, first on balance beam scoring 14.900, and first on floor scoring 14.500.
2011
In June, Iordache competed at the Gym Festival in Trnava, Slovakia. She won the all around final with a score of 59.500. In event finals, she placed first on uneven bars scoring 14.250, first on balance beam scoring 15.600, and first on floor scoring 14.850.
Later in June, Iordache competed in an international meet against the United Kingdom, in Lilleshall, United Kingdom. She helped the Romanian team win first place and individually she won the all around competition with a score of 58.300.
In May, Iordache competed as a guest at the French Team Championships in Toulouse, France. She contributed an all around score of 58.800 towards Alliance Dijon’s first place finish.
In July, Iordache competed at the 2011 European Youth Summer Olympic Festival in Trabzon, Turkey. She contributed an all around score of 57.800 towards the Romanian team’s second place finish and individually she won the all around final with a score of 57.550. In event finals, she placed second on vault scoring 14.225, second on uneven bars scoring 13.475, first on balance beam scoring 15.000 and first on floor scoring 14.275.
Senior career
2012
At the beginning of March, Iordache competed at the American Cup in New York City, United States. She placed third in the all around competition with a score of 59.332.
At the end of March, Iordache comopeted at the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup event in Doha, Qatar. She placed fourth in the uneven bars final with a score of 14.525.
In April, Iordache competed at an international meet against France in Cholet, France. She helped Romania to win the team competition and individually she won the all around with a score of 60.150.
Later in April, Iordache competed at an international meet against Germany and the United Kingdom in Ulm, Germany. She helped Romania to win the team competition and individually she won the all around with a score of 59.750.
In May, Iordache competed at the 2012 European Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Brussels, Belgium. She contributed an all around score of 58.757 towards the Romanian team’s first place finish. In event finals, she placed second on balance beam with a score of 15.133 and first on floor with a score of 15.233. Her coach Octavian Belu said, “Larisa has all the qualities to clinch great results. It was her first time in a big competition like that, but she did really well.”
At the beginning of July, Iordache competed at an international meet against France, Germany, and Italy in Bucharest, Romania. She helped Romania to win the team competition and individually she won the all around with a score of 60.850.
Larisa with the 2012 Olympic Romanian team.
At the end of July, Iordache competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, United Kingdom. Prior to the competition, she developed Plantar fasciitis in her left foot causing severe pain. Her coach, Mariana Bitang said, “We don’t know what will happen — it depends how things go after this. If she’s fine, she will do all events to qualify to the all-around final. It’s hard to say now.” She helped the Romanian team qualify fourth to the team final and individually she qualified to the all around final with a score of 57.800. In the team final, she contributed scores of 14.800 on vault, 13.766 on uneven bars, and 15.300 on balance beam toward the Romanian team’s third place finish. Iordache said, “You always want to do better, but any Olympic medal is important for a team. We are happy.” She placed ninth in the all around final with a score of 57.965 and sixth in the balance beam final with a score of 14.200.
Olympic Games
Bronze in 2012 London in Team event
European Championships
Gold in 2012 Brussels on Floor Exercise
Gold in 2012 Brussels in Team
Silverin 2012 Brussels on Balance Beam
American Cup
Bronze in 2012 New York in All Around
American Cup
Bronze in 2012 New York in All Around
Moscow 2013
Gold Medal in Balance Beam
Doha 2013
Gold Medal in Balance Beam
