Forgotten by all (Nicolae Linca)

Nicolae Linca was born in 1929 in village of Cergăul Mare from the Alba – Iulia city, he was the best amateur boxer wich Romania ever had, from 306 oficial matches he lost only 25, Nicolae Linca was the only one romanian boxer who succceded to bring the Olympic Gold medal in Romania. He also was a national champion of the weltherweight divison in the yers 1949, 1950, 1951 and 1953; winner of international championships; world university vicechampion in the years 1949 and 1955.

In 1953 Nicolae Linca flew to Warsaw to participate at the european boxing championship he succeded to win the bronze medal, two year’s later he he went again to the european boxing championship this time in Berlin with the ambition to bring the gold medal into Romania, again as the first time he didin’t managed to get the gold medal but aswell he didin’t came back to Romania with empty hands, he succeded this time too to get a bronz medal.

There is no doubt that every Olympic gold medal it has it’s own story most often conquered with tears, pain and joy, Nicolae Linca won the gold medal with broken hand. When the judges sounded the first gong sound, Hector Hatch,  from the Fidji islands, standed up from his corner where he was praying in the kness. Nicolae Linca encountered him with caution in the middle of the boxing ring, Hector attacked first, with a avalanche of  kicks, but Linca, fights back hiting him back with a few strong uppercuts on body. The second round belongs with ease to our ambassador, wich he already see’s him victoryous.  But on the end of the last round, a lighting  from cloudless hits his right hand. He wins the match on the scor points,  but  when he reached in his corner  he announces Ion Popa: “Maester i’v strained my hand”. An unfortunate thing coulden’t have been possible. Popa’s face color went white as the wall: “It’s not possible… Let’s see” . It was clear, the big finger of his right hand was fractured. What is to be done? You came from Romania to Australia to brake a finger and to go as you came? Linca decides: “I will box only with my left hand, but i will fight!” … It passed four days from this accident. His pains wasan’t the same. Linca got back in the ring. His opponent, Andre Nicolas (a south American), he looked like he was carved with the chisel and the hammer. The little delegation of the romanians athleets, and mostly the coach Ion Popa, awaits with the sould on the up to mouth the things wich will happen in the ring. Linca smiles to them from the ring. It was three long round like… three houndreds… Linca fought mostly with an only hand. The few right kicks wich he landed hurted him more then hurted Nicolas. He won this time too. He had assured the bronze medal. But his hand was sending him tears between his eyelids… … One day pause and again into the ring. His opponent: the vicechampion of the Europe, the englishman Niky Garagano. His finger was hurting him very bad. It was like he had a nail stuck in it. Linca didn’t left the hotel. He was holding his hand into warm water, calming his pains. From trainings he didn’t  missed, “Master, let’s say you are Gargano… He fights on left stance… Let’s see…”. Two people, Linca and Ion Popa, where working with tears, with smilest for a new victory. Fighting tactics? Linca was supposed to attack everytime to don’t let his opponent to impose his fighting tactics on him. But until reaching the ring there are the doctors…. At the medical examination, the fingers of the boxers are SHACKED, examinated with a lot of attention. When Linca was examinated, he endures a lot of pain, but not saying a word. You are free – told him the medic., but that’s not all, before the match starts it has to put his bandages. Again the presence of the doctor. This his secret was discovered. Linca and Popa went like ice. The medics understands the fear of that two and reacts very suprising: a few punctures with novocaine. The match, can start. “You will begin and you will finish aswell!” hear’s Linca  from his corner after the first sound of the gong. This was the tactics wich where set from the trainings. And Linca didn’t  went away from the advice of his coach, he wins all the three rounds in an enthusiasmathic way against an opponent wich was the number one favorit of the weight division. The silver medal was assured. Another day of pause. His next opponent, and the irish Fred Tiedt. Between him and Linca – the gold medal. Modest, Linca confessed that he didin’t expected to get so far away, expecialy after he the accident wich he had suffered in the first match. In the eve of the match, again punctures with novocaine. But until the big finale started the effect of the novocaine was already gone. He feeld that when they’v putted him the boxing gloves, but he didin’t showed it. In the middle of the ring the fight begin, Linca was landing the right with a fury. He didin’t  feels anymore his fist. The irish was attacking him, but Linca fights back. The decision is coming: “WINNER NICOLAE LINCA – ROMANIA!” This is how it was in that November at Melbourne. Tears, joy and pain flowed on the first Olympic medal conquerd by a romanian boxer.

In 1966, Nicolae Linca flew to Melbourne again with the desire of conquering the gold medal, 1966 is the year when he succeded to win the first and the only gold medal and the european champion title wich a romanian boxer ever won.

Toward the end of his life, he suffered of various illnesses like Parkinson malady, Alzhaimer, and Coxartroza, the illness hit him very hard, he became like vegetable, he was incapable to walk, to eat or even to know how much he should eat. In the last years of his life he even didin’t recognized his wife who was taking care of him everyday. For exemple in 2006 when was his birthday some journalists wanted to see him, he went there and found him very sick, his wife told the journalists that the champion didn’t know about his birthday since long time.

“He didin’t realized that it’s his birthday. Since long time he didn’t know that on 1 january we celebrate his birthday. He’s not talking anymore since 3-4 years, he dosne’t walks. I’m traying to keep him alive as I can, despite that the doctors are telling me that it can’t be done nothing anymore because of this maladys. He lives in other world/life”, that’s what his wife Elena Linca told them.

The champion became forgoted by the people and the country under wich flag he fought and dedicated his life, he lived his live in a complete poverty his familiy didn’t afforded to buy all the treatments and the Romanian state didin’t helped him, there where a few romanian athletes/boxers wich helped him but it wasan’t enough….he still died in poverty and sickness.

In 1975 he was made lieutenant colonel in reserve at the Dinamo club.

In the year of 2000, Nicolae Linca was awarded by the president Ion Iliescu with the order “Meritul Sportiv” Class I, but he got this order in 2005 only because his order was lost (typicaly romanian).

The familiy of Nicoale Linca, was even contacted by the familiy of Fred Tiedt, his ex opponent wich he defeted and won the gold medal, the famility of Fred Tiedt invited Nicolae Linca and his famility to Ireland to met them, they told them that they will support all the costs of the transport up to Ireland, but Elena told that they can’t come as Linca’s healthy is very damaged.

The champion died in 2008 at Feisa in the county of Alba – Iulia, the place where he lived his last years with his wife,  he was buried with military homage’s at the funeral was present a few government officials and people from the world of sports.

The officials proposed to be buried in the cemetery of the heroes from Alba – Iulia, but he was buried in the Feisa’s cemetery as the familiy wanted.

Starting with 2009 the international boxing event “Golden Belt” will be carry the name of Nicolae Linca as a sign of respect and appreciation.

The saddest thing is that the media started to mock him only after he died, the media started to interest about him after he died, even now in 2010 a few people know who Nicolae Linca was.

Sources:
1) Careul magic românesc, Paul Ochialbi si Petre Hent (1974)
2) Ziarul de Iași
3) Ziarul Tribuna
4) Sportspedia

Written by Andrei Crișan