With eight Olympic medals, Romanian Elisabeta Lipă-Oleniuc has won more Olympic medals than any rower. In 1984, as Miss Oleniuc, she won the double sculls (with Marioara Popescu) and after her marriage she took the silver medal in this event in 1988 and 1992 (with Veronica Cogeanu-Cochela). She also won a second gold in the single sculls in 1992. a third gold in the coxed eights in 1996, and a bronze in the quadruple sculls in 1988. Lipă was also World Champion in 1989 in single sculls. Lipă competed at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, but failed to make the final in the singles. However, she pulled an oar for the 1996 Romanian eight that won the gold medal, and she helped Romania defend their gold medal in the eights at the 2000 Olympics. In 2004, she again rowed on the victorious Romanian eight at the Olympics.
She was appointed Commander of the National Order of Faithful Service in 2000 and Commander of the National Order of the Star of Romania in 2004.
She was President of the Dinamo Bucharest Sports Club (2009–2015), Vice President of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (2009–2016 and since 2020), President of the Romanian Rowing Federation (since 2009), and President of the National Sports Agency of Romania (2023–2024).