Julia Sauter heads for the Winter Olympics 2026 in Italy

“You will encounter many defeats, but you must not feel defeated. In fact, it is possible that these very defeats are necessary – to find out who you really are, what you can rise from, and how you can still emerge victorious.” ― Maya Angelou

A story of courage, skating and perseverance

With this quote that has remained in my mind because it speaks of perseverance, success and personal affirmation, I have laid out the story of a young woman who represents a breath of fresh air in a sport that has never really been part of Romania’s sports portfolio.

I grew up watching figure skating competitions and I have always had a deep respect for those who practice this sport. I remember how, as a child, I would look fascinated at Surya Bonaly, Nancy Kerrigan or, later, Michelle Kwan.

Figure skating is meant to amaze the audience, and like any other sport, it requires involvement, training and, above all, it must come from the heart.

Behind every athlete who represents us at an international level, there is a story. We don’t always hear these stories, but when we discover them, we realize how much sacrifice, dedication and will are behind a few minutes of evolution on the ice.

On the road to performance

Until Julia, Romania had modest performances in this sport. We can remember Zoltán Kelemen, multiple national champion, participant in the World and European Figure Skating Championships, ranking 23rd in 2014 at the Winter Olympics. Gheorghe Chiper obtained 8th place at the Grand Prix in 2005, and Roxana Hartmann, multiple national champion, ranked 15th at the most important competition of her career.

A new milestone for Romania at the 2025 European Figure Skating Championships

Julia Sauter delivered a remarkable performance at the 2025 European Figure Skating Championships, held in Tallinn, Estonia, placing seventh. This is an important moment in her sports career, a real success for our country and a clear proof of her commitment to skating.
Her new team of coaches – Roxana Hartmann, Christopher Boyadji and Simona Pungă – have contributed significantly to her current performance. Julia was telling me how she had been struggling with emotional issues last year, and the change of coach and team had a beneficial effect and restored her self-confidence.

“I am very happy. I had a very weak first half of the season and was on the verge of giving up. The fact that I came back in the last two competitions, that I started to trust myself again and that I achieved three consecutive top 10 finishes is a wonderful feeling. All this is due to the new team that pushed me to become a complete skater. I intensified my training and, therefore, I feel more confident now,” says the athlete.
About a month before the World Figure Skating Championships in Boston, Julia had to appeal to her followers and supporters, through social networks and the GoFundMe platform, to obtain the amount of money necessary to cover the transportation and training in Poland before the competition.

Is it normal that in 2025, an athlete with results cannot receive funding from the federation? Is it normal that there is no involvement to solve the Romanian passport problem that has been going on for two years? We want performance, but we don’t support our athletes, we are proud when we see them on the small screen, but whose merit is it actually?

What`s next?

Julias performance this season qualified her for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy. There remains one problem that must be resolved by the end of this year. Obtaining a Romanian passport, an essential condition for her to be able to represent Romania.

Her commitment and determination have been visible throughout her career, and the recent result reflects the effort. Starting this season with a new team and a completely different approach, Julia demonstrates an extraordinary ability to adapt. She skated with grace and balance, showing us another side of herself: stronger and better, more confident in the future of Romanian figure skating.

Support is needed

We can support Julia through donations but also through sponsorships, and those interested can contact Simona Pungă, head coach of the Corona Brașov sports club (simona_bta@yahoo.com) for more details.

Together we take the Romanian figure skating to the 2026 Winter Olympics!

Text: Yle Balaceanu