14. September 2006  
Deva / Romania  
Artistic Gymnastics

GUESS WHAT BECAME OF...!? Gina GOGEAN got married earlier this summer and ...

Gina's godfather - Octavian Belu ...
Photo: R. Suciu (Deva)

... (!!) successfully farms edible snails in Romania's first snail breeding farm

On the 1st of July 2006, Gina GOGEAN, one of the most successful Romanian gymnasts of all times, got married in both a civil and religious ceremony in Deva, Romania to her long-time boyfriend and fiancé Cristian ('Cristi') GROZA , a grandson of Dr. Petru Groza, a leading political figure in interwar Romania, becoming Gina Gogean-Groza that day as Gina decided to keep her maiden name...
Former coaches Octavian Belu and Mariana Bitang, (currently counselors for sports to the Romanian President), who coached and went along with Gogean all throughout her exceptional career in artistic gymnastics attended the wedding ceremonies as godparents and thereby became relatives to the couple according to the Romanian tradition of marriage ;
In presence of former teammates and friends Lavinia MILOSOVICI, Simona AMANAR, Maria OLARU and Andreea RADUCAN coach Octavian Belu said that '... in no competition I ever was by her side I saw her that nervous and excited as before and during this wedding ceremony!'

Husband Cristi Groza and Gina Gogean first met in 1998 at the end of her career in the courtyard of Deva sports high school, started dating one year later and have been together ever since.

... one of the most successful Romanian gymnasts!

A multiple Olympic, World and European medalist, Gina concluded her competitive gymnastics career in 1998 with an astounding total of 27 Olympic, World and European Championship medals, 12 of them gold!

Following her active career, Gina remained close to sports and gymnastics. After her graduation she worked as a coach in Romania and Scotland and acted as TV commentator for Eurosport in Romania and France. In 2001 Gogean was appointed the honorary president of the newly formed Romanian Federation of Fitness, and was also a voting member of the Romanian Olympic Committee. In 2001 she received her International Judge Brevet and acts as a national and continental judge in competitions ever since.

... breeds snails and escargots for the Worlds Culinary Market

... Now Gina is a very successful businesswoman!
Since 2003, however Gina Gogean additionally grew to be a successfull business woman founding and managing Romania’s first snail/escargot breeding farm!
She and her husband are farming “Gina Gogean'- branded edible snails and escargots in their farm in a village close to the city of Deva which they sell to restaurants and gourmet institutions in Western Europe (mainly to France and Italy)!
In 2003 they were somehow discussing the lack of snail/escargot farms (heliciculture) in Romania even though the weather and climatic conditions would favor such and despite the fact that the market for snails and snail meat was very promising with a large interest and demand from the culinary world.
She and Cristi made up a business plan, contacted and took courses at the renowned International Institute of Heliciculture in Cherasco/Italy and successfully started the production and breeding of snails/escargots.
Their initial investment returned after their very first harvest and their farm is currently delivering a considerable amount of escargots to the export market.

Escargot breeding experts Gina and Cristi

Furthermore 'Cristi' and Gina
are certified to consult interested farmers and investors offering consultance and even technical assistance. She is very proud of her new role as a successful business woman and especially of the fact that she and her husband are equal partners in the venture - and now also in life.

Her new occupation is a full time job she is completely taken up with. To the question whether she has ever eaten the snails she and her husband are farming, Gina however denies,


saying that so far she has never tasted snails herself as she never liked “exotic seafood, crawdads or snails” yet doesn’t know how long it will take until she will concede her husband the favor who is continuously trying to persuade her to give up resistance.
Source: Various Romanian press articles, by
GYMmedia correspondent G.-M.Guendisch