Angelica Rozeanu
Encyclopedia
Angelica Rozeanu was a Romania
n table tennis
player of Jewish origin, and one of the most successful female table tennis players in the history of the sport.
and when convalescing her brother Gaston, almost eight years her elder, came home with table tennis bats, balls, and a net to entertain her.
At the age of 12 she won the Romanian Cup. She won her first major title, the Romanian national women's championship, at the age of 15 in 1936. She remained Romania
's female champion for the next 21 years (1936–57; excluding the war years 1940–45, when she did not compete).
In 1938 she won her first major international competition at the Hungarian Open.
Interrupted by World War II, from 1940 to 1944 she was barred from even entering a gymnasium in Romania, she played virtually no table tennis from the age of 18 to the age of 23.
Rozeanu won her first World Championship in 1950, starting the winning run that would see her win the championship six years in succession, a feat yet to be matched. She was also the last non-Asian
woman to win the title.
In total, she won 17 world titles (and 12 silver and bronze medals at the World Championships), including the world's women's doubles title three times (1953–55; in 1953 with Giselle Farkas of Hungary and in 1954 and 1955 with Ella Zeller of Romania), and the world mixed doubles titles three times (1951–53; 1951, with Bohumil Vana of Czechoslovakia
, and in 1952 and 1953, with Ferenc Sido of Hungary.).
She was the first Romanian woman to win a World title in any sport. Being by far Romania's greatest profile in the sport, she was also the President of the Romanian Table Tennis Commission from 1950 to 1960.
Appointed as a Deputy of the Bucharest Municipality in 1955, she and other Jewish players found themselves forced out of the Romanian Federation in 1957 when an anti-Semite rose to the chairman position.
In 1960 Rozeanu moved to Israel
, where she continued to play professionally. In 1961 she won the Maccabiah Games
Table Tennis Championship and she was Israel's champion three times, between 1960–62.
She kept in touch with her native Romania, and visited it for the last time in 2005.
In 2006 she died at the age of 84.
In 1997 she was awarded the Knesset
Medal.
She was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Haifa
in 2001.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n table tennis
Table tennis
Table tennis, also known as ping-pong, is a sport in which two or four players hit a lightweight, hollow ball back and forth using table tennis rackets. The game takes place on a hard table divided by a net...
player of Jewish origin, and one of the most successful female table tennis players in the history of the sport.
Table tennis career
She started playing table tennis at the age of 8. She had scarlet feverScarlet fever
Scarlet fever is a disease caused by exotoxin released by Streptococcus pyogenes. Once a major cause of death, it is now effectively treated with antibiotics...
and when convalescing her brother Gaston, almost eight years her elder, came home with table tennis bats, balls, and a net to entertain her.
At the age of 12 she won the Romanian Cup. She won her first major title, the Romanian national women's championship, at the age of 15 in 1936. She remained Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
's female champion for the next 21 years (1936–57; excluding the war years 1940–45, when she did not compete).
In 1938 she won her first major international competition at the Hungarian Open.
Interrupted by World War II, from 1940 to 1944 she was barred from even entering a gymnasium in Romania, she played virtually no table tennis from the age of 18 to the age of 23.
Rozeanu won her first World Championship in 1950, starting the winning run that would see her win the championship six years in succession, a feat yet to be matched. She was also the last non-Asian
Asian people
Asian people or Asiatic people is a term with multiple meanings that refers to people who descend from a portion of Asia's population.- Central Asia :...
woman to win the title.
In total, she won 17 world titles (and 12 silver and bronze medals at the World Championships), including the world's women's doubles title three times (1953–55; in 1953 with Giselle Farkas of Hungary and in 1954 and 1955 with Ella Zeller of Romania), and the world mixed doubles titles three times (1951–53; 1951, with Bohumil Vana of Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
, and in 1952 and 1953, with Ferenc Sido of Hungary.).
She was the first Romanian woman to win a World title in any sport. Being by far Romania's greatest profile in the sport, she was also the President of the Romanian Table Tennis Commission from 1950 to 1960.
Appointed as a Deputy of the Bucharest Municipality in 1955, she and other Jewish players found themselves forced out of the Romanian Federation in 1957 when an anti-Semite rose to the chairman position.
In 1960 Rozeanu moved to Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
, where she continued to play professionally. In 1961 she won the Maccabiah Games
Maccabiah Games
The Maccabiah is an international Jewish athletic event similar to the Olympics held in Israel every four years under the auspices of the Maccabi Federation, affiliated with the Maccabi World Union. The Maccabiah Games is the third largest international sports competition in the world...
Table Tennis Championship and she was Israel's champion three times, between 1960–62.
She kept in touch with her native Romania, and visited it for the last time in 2005.
In 2006 she died at the age of 84.
Playing style
Her abilities were revealed less in the power of her shots than in her exceptional footwork, ball control, determination, grace, natural ability, and technique. . She knew when to attack and when to defend, exhibiting unnerving patience during even the longest points. The Second World War disrupted the international game, but she returned to competition with a more attacking style.Recognition
In 1954, Angelica Rozeanu was presented the highest sports distinction in Romania — the title of Merited Master of Sport. She also received four Order of Work honors from her government.In 1997 she was awarded the Knesset
Knesset
The Knesset is the unicameral legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem.-Role in Israeli Government :The legislative branch of the Israeli government, the Knesset passes all laws, elects the President and Prime Minister , approves the cabinet, and supervises the work of the government...
Medal.
She was awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
in 2001.
Halls of Fame
- Rozeanu was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of FameInternational Jewish Sports Hall of FameThe International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame was opened July 7, 1981, in Netanya, Israel. It honors Jewish athletes and their accomplishments from anywhere around the world....
in 1981. - Rozeanu was inducted into the International Table Tennis Foundation Hall of Fame in 1995.
See also
- List of Jewish Romanians
- List of select Jewish table tennis players
External links
- Jacov Sobovitz, Angelica Adelstein Rozeanu, Jewish Women Encyclopedia
- Obituary
- Obit II
- Jews in sports bio
- Jewish Sports bio
- "Angelica Rozeanu – the world's greatest female table tennis player in history," 2/21/06