TAROM. Photo: Cristi Croitoru/ Shutetrstock Romania's national carrier, TAROM, will name one of its new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft after Ivan Patzaichin, the legendary Romanian canoeist and Olympic champion, as the airline continues its fleet renewal and tribute to leading figures in Romanian sport.
The agreement allowing the SkyTeam member airline to use Patzaichin's name was signed on August 19, 2026, in a ceremony attended by his wife, Georgiana Patzaichin, his daughter Ivona Patzaichin, and TAROM CEO Cristian Anghel.
The decision continues an initiative linking TAROM's aircraft with Romanian personalities whose achievements have become symbols of excellence and perseverance.
Earlier this year, the first new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft introduced as part of TAROM's fleet renewal was named “Mircea Lucescu”, after the renowned Romanian football manager who passed away in April.
The choice of Patzaichin's name for another new aircraft highlights values including performance, discipline, determination and the ability to overcome adversity.
Patzaichin's most famous Olympic moment came at the 1972 Munich Olympics, when his paddle broke during a qualifying race. Rather than abandon the competition, Patzaichin continued rowing and eventually won the race, going on to claim Olympic gold.
His daughter Ivona said her father had been fascinated by the few aircraft he saw flying over the Delta, the athlete's birthplace, as a child and dreamed of becoming a pilot.
She also recalled that Patzaichin traveled with TAROM for his sporting competitions and was fascinated by the airline's aircraft and cockpit.
“Now Ivan is back up in the sky,” she said, describing the naming of the aircraft as a special completion of a childhood dream.
TAROM CEO Cristian Anghel said the airline deliberately chose the names of Lucescu and Patzaichin for its new aircraft as a tribute to two major representatives of Romanian sport.
He also highlighted Patzaichin's determination after his broken paddle at the Munich Olympics as an example of the perseverance TAROM itself needs as it works through its own challenges.
The airline's practice of naming aircraft after prominent Romanian athletes began in 2024, when a Boeing 737-800 was named “Nadia Comăneci” after the legendary gymnast.
The aircraft subsequently transported the Romanian Olympic team to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
TAROM also marked the “Year of Nadia” with special flights, including RO 10 and RO 50, operated on July 18, 2024.
The upcoming “Ivan Patzaichin” Boeing 737 MAX is therefore the latest aircraft in a growing TAROM tradition of naming its fleet after figures who have represented Romania on the international stage.