Drăguțan Mariana

About

Mariana Drăguțan, born on November 29, 2000, in Strășeni, Strășeni district, Republic of Moldova, is a remarkable female freestyle wrestler, standing 155 cm tall and weighing around 53-55 kg in competition. Her sports career began at the cadet level, where she won bronze medals at the European Championships in 2015 and 2017, subsequently making spectacular progress in the U23 and senior categories. Among her most significant achievements are the gold medal at the 2022 U23 European Championship in Plovdiv, the silver medal at the 2023 U23 World Championships, bronze medals at the 2022 and 2023 Senior European Championships, and the silver medal at the 2024 European Championships in Bucharest, where she was defeated in the final by Romania's Andreea Ana. She also won bronze at the 2023 World Championships and qualified for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games by winning the qualifiers in Turkey, finishing 14th in the 53 kg category. The athlete collaborates closely with the Wrestling Federation of the Republic of Moldova and coach Andrei Chiperi, who guided her in preparations for major international competitions. She has represented her country at numerous major tournaments, including the European and World Championships organized by United World Wrestling, as well as Ranking Series such as the Zagreb Open or Matteo Pellicone. Her consistent performances, with podium finishes in Budapest, Belgrade, Bratislava, and other European locations, have brought visibility to the Republic of Moldova in women's wrestling, contributing to the promotion of women in this traditionally male-dominated field. Recently, Mariana Drăguțan became a mother, welcoming a baby girl, a happy moment marking a new stage in her personal life after her Olympic experience in Paris. Although detailed information about her family remains limited in the public sphere, the birth of this child highlights the balance between a high-performance sports career and the role of a parent, inspiring other Moldovan female athletes to pursue their dreams despite challenges. With an upward trajectory, Drăguțan continues to be a symbol of female determination in Moldovan sports.