Aurel Vernescu

Aurel Vernescu (23 January 1939 – 1 December 2008) was a Romanian sprint canoeist. He competed at the 1960, 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympics and won three medals with a silver in 1972 in the K-4 1000 m and two bronze medals in 1964 in the K-1 1000 m and K-4 1000 m events. He served as a flag bearer for Romania at the 1964, 1968 and 1972 Olympics.[1][2]

Aurel Vernescu

Personal information
Born	23 January 1939 Bucharest, Romania
Died	1 December 2008 (aged 69) Bucharest, Romania
Height	188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	88 kg (194 lb)
Sport
Sport	Canoe sprint
Club	Dinamo București
Medal record Representing  Romania Olympic Games 1972 Munich K-4 1000 m 1964 Tokyo K-1 1000 m 1964 Tokyo K-4 1000 m World Championships 1963 Jajce K-1 500 m 1963 Jajce K-1 4×500 m 1963 Jajce K-1 1000 m 1963 Jajce K-2 500 m 1966 East Berlin K-1 500 m 1966 East Berlin K-2 500 m 1966 East Berlin K-1 4×500 m 1966 East Berlin K-2 1000 m 1970 Copenhagen K-1 4×500 m 1970 Copenhagen K-2 500 m 1971 Belgrade K-1 4×500 m

Vernescu also won eleven medals at the ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships with four golds (K-1 500 m: 1963, 1966; K-1 4×500 m: 1963, K-2 500 m: 1966), five silvers (K-1 1000 m: 1963, K-1 4×500 m: 1970, 1971, K-2 500 m: 1966, 1970; K-2 1000 m: 1966), and one bronze (K-1 4×500 m: 1966).[1]

Vernescu took up kayaking aged 13 and in total won 42 national titles. He retired from competitions in 1972 to become a kayaking coach and administrator.[3]