Romania’s Mădălina Florea used happiness to win the 2026 Sierre-Zinal. Within the following interview, Mădălina talks about how successful Sierre-Zinal was a dream come true, the significance of balancing pleasure with seriousness in high-level operating, her journey since her first time on the race in 2023, and the way she didn’t take extreme danger on the ultimate downhill.
Learn our 2026 Sierre-Zinal outcomes article for the total play-by-play on this yr’s race.
[Editor’s Note: If you are unable to see the video above, click here to watch it.]
Mădălina Florea, 2026 Sierre-Zinal Champion, Interview Transcript
iRunFar: Meghan Hicks of iRunFar. I’m with Mădălina Florea. You’re the winner of the 2026 Sierre-Zinal. Congratulations.
Mădălina Florea: Thanks a lot. I’m now so emotional, the place I feel it’s extra tougher now to seek out my phrases than the race. So typically while you end the race you make your dream to say, as a result of now for me, it’s a dream since 2023, was change into true in the present day. So I would like nonetheless to get up. I would like an espresso perhaps to get up. Sure.
iRunFar: You simply have the end line as your espresso now. It’s the vitality that’s carrying you.
Florea: No, nonetheless, I don’t notice it. Possibly after we met in Damaged Arrow, at that second I say, “Wow.” And it was a tremendous day for me, however now coming with one other race, no, I can’t consider it.
iRunFar: You might be having an unimaginable 2026. As you mentioned, we noticed you at Damaged Arrow the place you received the 23k there. You’ve received this race. You might be principally sweeping the Golden Path World Collection this yr. Is it starting to really feel very regular that you just win these items?
Florea: Precisely. I’m repeating myself now as a result of final yr and the earlier yr, I used to be all the way down to say a relentless consequence, however one thing was lacking. The pleasure to take pleasure in, to be Mădălina, what it’s making enjoyable and the whole lot on this path. So this yr I say, “Okay, my predominant aim, it’s to be pleased, to take pleasure in, to do Mădălina.” I nonetheless wish to compete, even for 20 years in future, to assume for the longer term. So if this all collectively could make consequence, and I say, “Okay, I’ll respect it, and I’ll take pleasure in it.” And all the outcomes till now, nonetheless I can’t consider it, however already my coach, my supervisor, my crew, everybody supporting me to have one of the best situations. So step-by-step, I attempt to do one of the best Mădălina, however we by no means know what’s the greatest Mădălina. However one of the best for Mădălina now, it’s to have happiness and luxuriate in as a lot I can.
iRunFar: I feel that’s a extremely good query, as a result of I feel it’s troublesome to be knowledgeable at one thing, to be knowledgeable runner, and to additionally maintain the enjoyment and maintain the fireplace. How are you navigating that? How do you be sure you’re taking it severely as a runner, however having severe enjoyable too?
Florea: Sure. So till now, I used to be there competing with the opposite. So to say, I notice what I would like, to be shut between the opposite girl, what’s competing since a few years in the past, however was lacking one thing, was miss the Mădălina to have happiness and fewer stress. Nonetheless I’ve, in fact, I would like to enhance increasingly as a result of, in fact, I’ve some days the place perhaps the coaching, it’s extra tougher than the competitors. And it present me, “Okay, what’s the method?” So I have to hearken to myself. So what I wish to say now, again to your self. So I hope on this race I can clarify who it’s Mădălina behind the bib, as a result of that is vital. Possibly everybody can see me operating, competing, and this, as a result of earlier than the race, I’m the identical horrible particular person, as a result of I wish to be targeted on my method.
However outdoors, I can having fun with. When you put me right here to leap, I can do it as a result of that is Mădălina. And I wish to present for the individuals, I’ve emotion, I’m not sleeping someday, I used to be perhaps not consuming. And all of this, I’ll begin to enhance with the individuals who assist me, as a result of in the long run, we’re not a robotic, we’re human. So sure.
iRunFar: This race in the present day, you might have been to Sierre-Zinal earlier than. You will have a number of finishes. What made in the present day completely different? I imply, you recognize the course, you recognize precisely the way it went, however what made in the present day so completely different for you?
Florea: So since ’23, I used to be dreamed to be right here and to have consequence. So I used to be final seventh, third. Final yr, I used to be coming simply to take pleasure in. However this yr I used to be arrive early right here. I used to be three weeks earlier than right here. I used to be skilled very effectively. I used to be actually understanding all of the stone, however nonetheless I used to be falling as a result of I would like a tattoo to have on myself to essentially fill the course.
iRunFar: You knew a lot of the stones. You missed that one in your coaching.
Florea: Precisely. As a result of right here, you recognize it’s on the medal you might have a stone. So me, I used to be actually wish to really feel that stone. Sure.
iRunFar: That was a imply stone that took you down in the present day.
Florea: Sure. The adrenaline was holding me rapidly to stand up and to see simply the end line in my thoughts. Sure.
iRunFar: This course is de facto distinctive in that it has three predominant components, an enormous climb to begin, after which the flat-ish, rolling-ish, hilly-ish center, after which to the end on the finish. How did you break up the course in your head in the present day? Have been you fascinated about the sections like that, or had been you pondering help station to help station? Or what was your thoughts about in the present day?
Florea: I feel this race has me loopy. And it’s with a whole lot of up and down as a result of this I used to be having my life now to have the ability to arrive right here. So coming in ’23, precisely right here with out sponsor, after which step-by-step with the race, it’s in U.S. and received the Closing. I’ll say I change into skilled. However this race was the identical like Mădălina to know the individuals who is the Mădălina, as a result of till there, no person was to say know me. So it’s a really particular race. I’m nothing right here. So I used to be ask the organizer promise me as a result of I’ll have a bib for all my life. So I’ll come right here on a regular basis as a result of it’s so particular. And I like even the quick and livid. I don’t know quick and livid, if it’s actually symbolize me, however to say loopy and someday the livid, as a result of I’m an excessive amount of with the emotion and the emotions, what on a regular basis I can experiment, however nonetheless is extra inside.
iRunFar: The entire race, you had been in touch with the leaders. Whoever occurred to be in entrance in the intervening time, you had been fairly near them, both with them or you may see them. Was that intentional, or had been you attempting to mark whoever was main in the present day, or had been you attempting to run your personal race, and that’s simply the place you had been?
Florea: Yeah, simply what I say, as a result of I used to be arrived right here three weeks in the past. So I used to be down the course a number of occasions and even for a portion, and was to observe the center price. As a result of now my predominant aim, it’s not to have a look at the others and by no means was to match myself with the opposite as a result of you then don’t hearken to your physique, however you actually prepare daily as a result of I’m not in a position to be targeted on the others as a result of I can’t management them. All what I can management, it’s myself. So this, I used to be actually perceive step-by-step since you come to compete the others, however you don’t prepare on a regular basis with the others. So it’s simply your self to coach. Yeah. So due to this, I used to be targeted on my coronary heart price. In fact, I used to be having slightly bit up and down. I used to be nearly there. However typically it’s the climate, what you can’t management. And it’s a whole lot of issues what you can’t management, however it’s good to adapt. So I used to be attempting to adapt.
iRunFar: Slightly stone caught you up, and also you took a tumble, which individuals on the TV noticed in the present day. After which this race, it ends with a really steep downhill and it’s a must to do it so quick to have a profitable race. On that final downhill the place you had been simply letting it go, had been you fascinated about that stone that caught you or had been you simply operating free?
Florea: So pondering, as a result of two weeks in the past I used to be completed the total course. So precisely one kilometer earlier than, no … Possibly, sure. Earlier than the highway, I used to be fall. So I used to be take my… Keep in mind-
iRunFar: You had it within the thoughts.
Florea: Precisely. And I say, “Okay.” I used to be ask some particular person, individuals across the course, “Which is the hole?” Okay. They are saying, “Multiple minute.” And I say, “Okay, that is good.” So then I used to be take it straightforward to make certain I cannot fall, and I’ll lose all the hassle what I’d completed till there.
iRunFar: So that you gained slightly hole earlier than the steep descent and knew that you just had a while, so that you didn’t must take all of the dangers?
Florea: Sure, as a result of on that steep of hill, typically the legs can say, “Hey, listen to not get one thing.” And I used to be actually wish to hearken to my physique say, “Keep slightly bit slowly,” as a result of despite the fact that I used to be have the end with the opposite, nonetheless I used to be have vitality to save lots of and the adrenaline in my physique to attempt to push till to the tip.
iRunFar: The Golden Path World Collection is beginning to get its shut for the yr. There’s not so many races left. What’s your race plan for the yr? Are you going to do a pair extra Golden Trails or what’s subsequent?
Florea: Subsequent, it’s to go at residence and to take pleasure in with my household.
iRunFar: In fact. Sure.
Florea: And I don’t need now to essentially assume for the race, however you ask me, I’m nonetheless targeted for all of the collection for Golden. So within the subsequent few days, after I’ll take pleasure in it, I’ll flip the web page and focus for the opposite race. So sure, I’ll compete Japan and China after which the ultimate.
iRunFar: So first, residence to calm down and spend time with household, after which flip the thoughts slightly bit to the ultimate races.
Florea: Precisely.
iRunFar: My final query for you, you might be recognized in your flowers. It’s in your identify. You want to speak about it.
Florea: Sure. I actually obtain for my crew this as a result of I didn’t anticipate it. So sure, that was made for me. My supervisor for the crew wish to put 26 and him was have a birthday yesterday. So say, “No, I’ll put the one and to make certain, even you’ll not have the superb race, we don’t put strain on you. We’re having fun with, however for us, you might be primary to remain on this path.” Sure.
iRunFar: I find it irresistible. Madalina Florea, congratulations in your win of the 2026 Sierre-Zinal. You received!
Florea: I have to get up.
iRunFar: I do know.
Florea: Sure, nonetheless is me. I’ll perhaps within the subsequent few days take pleasure in it extra.
iRunFar: Congratulations.
Florea: Thanks a lot. Thanks.
