Cristina Neagu

Cristina Neagu
Personal information
Full nameCristina Georgiana Neagu
Born26 August 1988
Bucharest, Romania
NationalityRomanian
Height1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Weight69 kilograms (152 lb)
Playing positionLeft back
Club information
Current clubŽRK Budućnost
Number8
Youth clubs
CSŞ 5 Bucureşti
Senior clubs
2006–2009
2009–2013
2013		Rulmentul Braşov
Oltchim Râmnicu Vâlcea
ŽRK Budućnost
National team 1
 Romania132 (551)
1 National team caps and goals correct
as of 21 December 2014

Cristina Georgiana Neagu (born 26 August 1988)[1] is a Romanian handballer who plays as a left back for ŽRK Budućnost Podgorica and the Romanian national team. She was voted World Handball Player of the Year 2010[2] by the International Handball Federation.

Neagu reached the final stage of the Champions League for two times (in 2009 and 2014). She has been a member of the European Championship All-Star Team for two times (2010 and 2014). She received a bronze medal at the 2010 European Championship, being also the top scorer of the competition and having the most assists.

During the 2010-2011 season, her right shoulder cartilage was damaged. On 10 October 2012, Neagu returned to play in the Romanian Women's Handball League at 605 days (approximately 1 year and 7 months) after injury and after she received long-term treatment in the United States.[3]

She seriously injured again during training in January 2013. Neagu was out for six months after undergoing surgery on left knee ruptured cruciate ligaments,[4] but she is now back on court.

Comeback

After nearly 2-and-a-half years of injuries, Neagu again reached the final stage of the Champions League, this time in 2014 with Budućnost.

On 21 December 2014, she was awarded best left back of the 2014 European Championship. She was also among the tournament top goalscorers, ranking second.

After an outstanding 2014 year, she again got nomination for IHF World Player of the Year, but this time lost the award in front of Eduarda Amorim being named second best player in the world with 25.8 % of the votes.[5]

International honours

Individual awards

Personal life

Cristina Neagu was born in Bucharest on August 26, 1988 in Ghencea district, a few hundred meters from Ghencea Stadium. She has two older sisters. Neagu stated that she is a fan of FC Steaua București. She was discovered by coach Maria Covaci.[9]

References

  1. ↑ "Cristina Georgiana Neagu". European Handball Federation. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  2. ↑ http://www.ihf.info//MediaCenter/News/NewsDetails/tabid/130/Default.aspx?ID=536 Cristina Neagu - World Handball Player of the Year 2010
  3. ↑ "Revenire după 605 zile » Cristina Neagu a jucat din nou pentru Oltchim". gsp.ro (in Romanian). Gazeta Sporturilor. Retrieved 11 October 2012.
  4. ↑ "Cristina Neagu six months out!". Handball Planet. Gazeta Sporturilor. Retrieved 30 January 2013.
  5. ↑ http://www.ihf.info/MediaCenter/News/NewsDetails/tabid/130/Default.aspx?ID=2402 Karabatic and Amorim – Grundfos World Handball Players of the Year
  6. ↑ "Romania a castigat Trofeul Carpati la handbal feminin" (in Romanian). Sport365. 6 November 2006.
  7. ↑ http://www.ihf.info/front_content.php?idcat=57&idart=2645 Neagu and Fäth World’s best Rookies of the Year 2009
  8. ↑ "We are the champions! CSM a câștigat Bucharest Trophy 2014" (in Romanian). bucharest-trophy.ro. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  9. ↑ "Acasa la Cristina Neagu: "Mami, ce medalie imi aduci?"" (in Romanian). Evenimentul Zilei. 16 December 2010.
Awards
Preceded by
France Allison Pineau		 IHF World Player of the Year – Women
2010 		Succeeded by
Norway Heidi Løke