Former tennis player Simona Halep, who received the Excellence Award for her entire career at the 2024 Romanian Sports Gala on Tuesday evening, said she is happy that she no longer has the pressure of training and tournaments.

„I am feeling very well, I am very excited to be here tonight and I am enjoying everything that is happening. Now I am happy that I no longer have the pressure of training, tournaments, and traveling. I am feeling well and I am trying to rest, because there have been some tough years. The only thing that has changed is that I am without a schedule. I still go to the gym every day, but I go when I feel like it, I do not have a fixed schedule,” said the former WTA leader.

Asked about her future, Halep said it was unlikely to be related to sports.

„I didn’t say that I’m completely involved in business or in any other field. Right now I’m resting and I want to enjoy and discover other things outside of sports. I don’t think my future will be related to sports. I don’t know what I’m going to do, right now I just want to rest and enjoy everything I’ve done so far,” the former athlete added.

Swimmer David Popovici and rower Simona Radis, Olympic champions at the Paris Games, were named the male and female athletes of the year, respectively, on Tuesday evening, at the 2024 Romanian Sports Gala organized by the National Agency for Sports. The National News Agency was also awarded for its contribution to promoting Romanian sports.

The winners also included the best male and female coaches – Adrian Radulescu (swimming, David Popovici) and Camelia Voinea (artistic gymnastics, Sabrina Voinea), the best teams in team sports – the Romanian men’s football team and Gloria Bistrita (women’s handball), as well as the president of the year 2024 – Camelia Potec (Romanian Swimming and Modern Pentathlon Federation).

AGERPRES