Romanian fencer Amalia Covaliu won the Piotr Nurowski Award for the Best Young Athlete in Europe in 2025. The award was presented on Friday evening following a vote at the 55th General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees (EOC) in Budapest, according to the Facebook page of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee (COSR).

'Amalia Covaliu, the world cadet sabre champion and multiple European junior medallist, impressed with a poised and balanced speech marked by her passion for fencing, delivered with confidence and conviction in every word. She presented her achievements and the important legacy she inherited from the very first day she chose to pursue high-performance sport. The inspiration of her family and her motivation to match her brother's achievements have shaped her career. Her dream is to compete at the 2027 European Games in Istanbul and qualify for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games alongside her brother, Vlad Covaliu, a world and European medallist in senior sabre fencing,' the source stated.

Amalia's parents applauded her from the audience. Her mother, Irina Covaliu, who is also her coach, was invited to attend the General Assembly, while her father, Mihai Covaliu, accompanied her on stage in his capacity as President of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee.

Amalia Covaliu received the trophy from International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry and EOC President Spyros Capralos.

'I wasn't nervous. I wanted to convey confidence and passion in everything I do. I have my family and the people in fencing behind me, helping me and fuelling my dreams, as well as my desire to show young people that hard work can help you achieve your goals. Everything I learn through sport provides lessons that help me beyond the fencing piste. I would like to thank the Athletes' Commission of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee for nominating me for this award, and the personalities of the European Olympic Movement who listened to me and believed in me. I have taken another step towards my dream!' said Amalia Covaliu.

For the first time in the history of the award, two athletes received the same number of votes, with Estonian athlete Allika Inkeri Moser and Amalia Covaliu each receiving 13 votes.

Montenegrin taekwondo athlete Andrea Berisaj received eight votes, Bulgarian tennis player Ivan Ivanov received seven, British gymnast Ruby Evans received six, and Slovenian cyclist Marusa Tereza Serkezi received two votes.

The award includes a 15,000 euros training scholarship, which Amalia Covaliu may use to support her sporting preparation.

The Romanian delegation also included representatives of the Organising Committee for the 2027 European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Brasov.

The award was established in memory of former Polish Olympic Committee President Piotr Nurowski, who died in a plane crash in 2010. It is presented annually for summer sports and separately for winter sports.

Among Romanian athletes, only Olympic swimming champion David Popovici has previously won the trophy, in 2021, while gymnast Larisa Iordache finished as runner-up in 2012. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Mihai Tenea; EN - writing by: Cristina Zaharia)