Olympic bronze medallist Cioncan dies in car accident

SOFIA, Jan 21 (Reuters) Olympic bronze medallist Maria Cioncan of Romania has died in a car accident near the town of Pleven, a Bulgarian hospital official told Reuters today.

Cioncan, 29, who was third in the 1,500 metres at the 2004 Athens Games, lost control of the car she was driving and hit a roadside tree.

According to several media reports, the middle-distance runner was returning from a training camp in Turkey.

Cioncan won the 800 and 1,500 gold medals at last year's Romanian indoor championships.

REUTERS SAM BS1904