Nicolae Linca

Olympic medal record
Competitor for  Romania
Men's Boxing
Olympic Games
Gold	Melbourne 1956	Welterweight
European Amateur Championships
Bronze	Warsaw 1953	Welterweight
Bronze	Berlin 1955

Nicolae Linca (1 January 1929 in Cergăul Mare (village now incorporated in the town of Blaj, Alba County, Romania – 27 June 2008 in Feisa, Alba County, Romania) was a Romanian amateur boxer and Romania's first olympic boxing champion.

Amateur career

Linca defeated Frederick Tiedt of Ireland on a 3-2 decision, to capture the Olympic Gold Medal in the 148 pound (Welterweight) class at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games. Tiedt actually received more total points, but Linca was given the decision by three of the five judges. In the semi-final and final, he boxed with a severe injury in the right hand, which made him an example of resilience and courage. Toward the end of his life, he suffered of various illnesses.In the early 1990-s, Romanian media found him living in abject poverty and forgotten by his former club and sports authorities. The public outcry caused by his situation led the Romanian Parliament to vote a law whereby Olympic medalists, past, present and future, would receive a monthly allowance from the Government from the day of their retirement from sport, up to their death.

Pro career

Linca, like many Eastern Bloc boxers of his era, did not have a professional career.

Olympic results

• Boxing at the 1956 Summer Olympics:
• Defeated Hector Hatch (Fiji) points (5-0)
• Defeated Nicholas Andre (South Africa) points (5-0)
• Defeated Nicholas Gargano (Great Britain) points (4-1)
• Defeated Frederick Tiedt (Ireland)points 3-2

External links

• Database Olympics

Persondata
Name	Linca, Nicolae
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1929
Place of birth
Date of death	27 June 2008
Place of death