Natalia Mărăşescu
Natalia Mărăşescu (born Andrei temporarily Betini; born October 3, 1952 in Căpreni, Gorj County ) is a retired Romanian middle and long distance runner.
The European Athletics Championships 1974 in Rome, she finished fourth over 3000 meters. In 1975, she won at the Indoor Athletics Championships in Katowice over 1500 m and won gold at the Universiade over 3000 m and 1500 m silver. In 1976 she took over the same distance silver at the European Indoor Championships in Munich and reached at the Olympic Games in Montreal, the semifinals. The following year, she was again second in the Universiade over 1500 m.
In 1978, she won two silver medals at the European Indoor Championships in Milan about 1500 m and at the World Cross Country Championships in Glasgow, where she won gold with the Romanian team. In the summer, followed silver medals over 1500 m and 3000 m at the European Athletics Championships in Prague.
In 1979 she won the 1500m at the European Indoor Championships in Vienna and at the Universiade. Shortly after they tested positive for anabolic steroids in the Balkans games. The resulting ban for this violation of the doping rules has been reduced from 18 to eight months, so that she could start in Moscow at the Olympic Games in 1980. There she was about 1500 m Ninth.
Five times she was Romanian champion in the 1500 m (1970, 1975, 1976, 1978, 1979 ), four times higher than 3000 m (1975, 1976, 1978, 1979) and once in cross country (1976). In 1979 she became Soviet champion in the 1500 m. twice she set a world record in the mile run.