Mihaela Peneş didn’t say to her friends where they could find her, but she was seen both at the monasteries from Moldavia, and at the nursery hospital from Bucharest
The Olympic Champion at throwing the javelin in 1964, Mihaela Peneş chose to share her life between the monasteries from Moldavia and a geriatric nursery hospital from Bucharest, where she goes from time to time. Far from her friends, far from her colleagues. In the last two years, there are only a few persons who managed to speak with her at least on the phone.
Doina Melinte is the person who has the newest information about the former athlete. "I spoke with her this spring. She was going to the monasteries from Moldavia. That’s all I can say because she wants so. However, I do not know more. She is a dear friend of mine and I am happy for her if she found the heart’s-ease", declared the Olympic champion at 800 meters from OG Los Angeles.
A close relative of the athlete Peneş, who wanted to keep the anonymity, declared yesterday that Mihaela Peneş is fine, healthy and she wants to be alone. It seems that this year the former athlete visited 3 monasteries from Moldavia. She has been lodging for three months at Pogleţ Hermitage from Bacău County. Then, she was seen at the fortress Petru Vodă from Neamţ, and then at Agapia Monastery. All these are monastic hermitages which have also asylums for old people.
At Peneş’ home
Yesterday, around noon, Iolanda Balaş summoned up courage and went to Mihaela Peneş’ home. "Someone called me in the morning and told me Mihaela died! As nobody knew anything about her, I went to her home", said the president of the Romanian Athletic Foundation. Iolanda Balaş said that the door was open by a woman who makes the housework. "I said to her that I came with a package for Mihaela. Without inviting me to come in, she had told me that Mihaela was not in a good mood. I left without knowing if she was home or not. ", told the Olympic champion at high jump from 1960 and '64.
She has been to Vatican in 2004
Mihaela Peneş was part of the champions group who were received in audience in March 2004 to Vatican by Pope John Paul II. "She was very happy when I told her to come with us. She thanked to me all Mi-a mulţumit tot drumul. That moment touched her", said Iolanda Balaş. Alongside them were also Gabriela Szabo, Doina Melinte and Viorica Viscopoleanu.
"Mihaela Peneş occupied the post which is occupied now by Laura Badea, at the Department Olympic education. She retired when there came Octavian Morariu’s team"
Ioan Dobrescu, secretary general of COSR
"Mihaela Peneş answered few times at the phone. I asked her where to send the invitations for certain events, but she has never given me an address"
Gabriela Szabo, vice president of FRA
"Mihaela Peneş is a smart woman. I don’t know what happened to her, but if she does not want to be found, we have to understand her"
Doina Melinte
