Mălai Viorica

About

Viorica Mălai, born on March 1, 1975, in the Republic of Moldova, has distinguished herself as one of the most successful ultramarathon runners in Romania, where she lives in Cluj-Napoca. Her sports career includes overall female victories in extremely demanding races, such as the 87.6 km ultramarathon at MSG Maraton Apuseni (2022, time 10:46:23), where she achieved 3rd place overall, or the first position in the female marathon at Roșia Montană Marathon (2019). She has successfully participated in prestigious international competitions, such as Tor des Géants (330 km in Italy, 59th overall and 6th female in 2018), Orobie Ultra-Trail (140 km, 27th overall in 2018), and Transgrancanaria (128 km, 2019), accumulating experience in over 20 ultra events with total distances of thousands of kilometers. She has collaborated with top clubs and teams in Romania, such as Runners Club, Skyrunnerii Ulii, CSM Cluj-Napoca, Maraton Apuseni, and Sponser Team, dominating the W40, W45, and W50 age categories with multiple championship titles. Notable achievements include 1st place at the National Ultramarathon Championship at Brașov Marathon (2025, 6:02:54), victories at Primavera Trail Race (multiple editions) and Bucovina Ultra Rocks, as well as podium finishes at Maratonul Via Maria Theresia. Her consistent participation in mountain competitions in Apuseni, Carpathians, and abroad highlights her exceptional endurance in the face of thousands of meters of elevation change. Arriving in Romania in 1999 for a master's degree in management at SNSPA, where she stayed until 2010 working for the Renault group, Viorica discovered trail running as a way to manage inner challenges, stating that she felt the need for physical pain to drive away emotional pain. Although details about her personal life remain private, her career demonstrates total dedication to the sport, with an impressive record in ultramarathons that places her among remarkable women in athletics, inspiring both amateur and professional runners alike.