Sport

Serghei Tarnovschi

Canoist

Elite canoeist, awarded the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, continuing Moldova's strong tradition in the kayak-canoe events.

Serghei Tarnovschi (b. 24 June 1997, Lvov, Ukraine) is a canoeist who has represented the Republic of Moldova since 2014, one of the country's best-performing water sports athletes. He has an older brother, Oleg, who also competes for Moldova in the canoe sprint events.

Career

Tarnovschi stood out while still a teenager. In 2014 he won Moldova's first gold medal at an Olympic-type competition, at the Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing. He also obtained the title of world champion in the 500 metres event and successes over long distances, such as the 5000 metres, confirming himself as a top canoeist at international level.

Olympic achievements

Serghei Tarnovschi won two Olympic bronze medals in the men's single canoe C-1 1000 m event: at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, and at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. His career was, however, also marked by a difficult episode: at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, where he had initially obtained a bronze medal, he was disqualified following an anti-doping test and suspended, his result being annulled.

He subsequently returned to the highest level, demonstrating quality and perseverance. Through the medals won in Tokyo and Paris, Serghei Tarnovschi established himself as one of the most consistent representatives of Moldovan canoeing, continuing the tradition of the great canoeists of the Republic of Moldova and bringing the country prestigious results at the Olympic Games.

Consistency at the highest level

Through the two Olympic bronze medals won at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024, Serghei Tarnovschi established himself as one of the most consistent canoeists in the world in the single canoe 1000 metres event. Together with his brother Oleg, he continues the tradition of the great Moldovan canoeists, inaugurated by Nicolae Juravschi. He trained in difficult conditions, but managed to return to the highest level after an unfortunate episode at the beginning of his career. His results have brought the Republic of Moldova a constant presence on the Olympic podiums of canoeing.