Republic of Moldova (MDA)

Moldova was formerly the Soviet Republic of Moldavia, which achieved independence after the Soviet break-up of 1991. Its National Olympic Committee was formed on 29 January 1991 and recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1993. Though the smallest of the former Soviet Republics, a few Moldavan athletes competed from 1952 to 1988 for the Soviet Union, and Moldavan athletes were present at Barcelona in 1992 as members of the Unified Team. During this time Moldovans won 15 medals, including six gold.

Moldova first competed at the Olympics as an independent nation at Lillehammer 1994, represented by one male and one female biathlete. They first competed at the Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta, in 1996, and have attended all editions since (both Summer and Winter).

Moldovan athletes have won six medals (two silvers and four bronzes). The nation’s most successful Olympians have been canoeists Nicolae Juravschi and Victor Reneischi, who together won two gold medals competing for the USSR, and then one silver as Moldovans. The other Moldovan silver medal was achieved by sport shooter Oleg Moldovan, in the 2000 10 metres running target event.

Moldovan Winter Olympians have competed in Alpine skiing, biathlon, cross-country skiing, and luge. Their best finish was an eighth place by Natalia Levcencova in 2006 women’s 15 kilometre biathlon. Three Moldovans have competed in both biathlon and cross-country skiing at the Olympic Winter Games: Ion Bucsa (biathlon in 1998, cross-country in 2002), Alexandra Camenșcic (cross-country in 2010 and both disciplines in 2014), and Elena Gorohova, who had four Olympic Winter Games appearances, competing in biathlon in 1994, 1998, and 2006, and in cross-country skiing in 2002 and 2006.