Carol-Eduard Novak

Started: He began the sport at age 25. (campioniiromaniei.ro, 16 Oct 2011) Reason: As a former ice hockey player and speed skater he used to cycle often as part of his training off the ice, so it was the easiest sport for him to pick up again after his accident. (eduardnovak.ro, 01 Apr 2016; campioniiromaniei.ro, 16 Oct 2011) Ambition: To compete at the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (Instagram profile, 09 Jul 2024) Milestones: He became the first Romanian athlete to win a Paralympic medal in any sport when he won silver in the men's LC2 time trial at the 2008 Games in Beijing. Four years later he became the first Romanian to win a Paralympic gold medal in any sport when he triumphed in the men's C4 individual pursuit at the 2012 Games in London. His silver in the men's C4 4km pursuit at the 2020 Games made him the first Romanian to win a medal at three editions of the Games. (SportsDeskOnline, 01 Sep 2020) Awards: He and table tennis player Camelia Ciripan were Romania's flag bearers at the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paralympic Games in Paris. (medias.paris2024.org, 28 Aug 2024) He was Romania's flag bearer at the opening ceremonies of the 2012 and 2016 Paralympic Games. (business-review.ro, 03 Sep 2012; myinfo.rio2016.com, 06 Sep 2016) He was rewarded for results obtained at the 2012 Paralympic Games in London with the Order of Sports Merit, First Class, by the president of Romania. (ziare.com, 21 Sep 2012) Additional Info: ADMINISTRATIVE ROLES He served as the Minister for Youth and Sport with the Romanian government between 2020 and 2022. He has also served as president of the Romanian Cycling Federation [FRC]. (digi24.ro, 04 Jul 2024; Novak Cycling Academy Facebook page, 08 May 2020; transylvanianow.com, 31 May 2019) RETIREMENT AND RETURN After competing at the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, he retired from competitive cycling in order to focus on his role as the Minister for Youth and Sport with the Romanian government. He returned to cycling in 2023 with a view to competing at his sixth Paralympic Games at Paris 2024. "[Speaking in July 2024] The decision to participate in the Paralympic Games again [Paris 2024] was not an easy one, but today I'm glad I took it. In 2021 I retired from cycling. At that time, I was the minister of sport and I wanted to devote myself 100% to this function. I knew that the Paralympic Games of 2024 were coming and I decided to try and prepare." (Instagram profile, 09 Jul 2024; digi24.ro, 04 Jul 2024; federatiadeciclism.ro, 01 Jan 2023) OTHER ACTIVITIES In 2004 he founded the Tusnad Cycling Club in Romania, which was renamed to Team Novak in 2018. He also owns Med-Expert, a prosthetics and medical equipment company, and his family's confectionery business. In 2017 he opened the Novak Cycling Academy, for children aged eight to 10, which is based in Miercurea Ciuc, Romania. (novakgroup.ro, 01 Jan 2024; uci.org, 01 Jan 2020; Novak Cycling Academy Facebook page, 08 May 2020; sptfm.ro, 31 May 2017; dragbicycles.com, 22 Jun 2017; agerpres.ro, 09 Aug 2014)