Cornel Oțelea
Romanian handball player (1940–2025)
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Cornel Oțelea (19 November 1940 – 22 January 2025) was a Romanian professional handball player and coach who won three World Championship titles with Romania.[1] From 1993 to 1995, he served as president of the Romanian Handball Federation.[2]
Cornel Oțelea | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Oțelea in 1967 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 19 November 1940 Șeica Mare, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 22 January 2025 (aged 84) Bucharest, Romania | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Resting place | Ghencea Cemetery | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse | Rodica Oțelea | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Children | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Biography
Oțelea won three world titles and the European Cup with Steaua București, both as a player in 1968 and as a coach in 1977.[3][4] He served as head coach of Romania's national team, leading them to a bronze medal at the 1990 World Men's Handball Championship,[5][6] and later coached the Romania women's national team from 2002 to 2005.[5] He led them at the 2003 World Women's Handball Championship, where they finished 10th and at the 2004 European Women's Handball Championship, where they finished 7th.
Colonel Cornel Oțelea from the Ministry of National Defense was promoted to the rank of brigadier general (with one star), being subsequently transferred to the reserve on 31 December 1997.
Oțelea died on 22 January 2025, at the age of 84.[7]
