Career
At the same games in Athens, Greece, Târlea helped the Romanian national team to sixth place in the 4 × 400 m relay. She gained recognition in top international competitions as early as 1996 at the Atlanta Olympics, when she came seventh in the 400 m hurdles event. In 2000 in Sydney, Australia, Târlea earned her place again in the finals of the 400 m hurdles event, and came sixth.
In 2002 she reaped gold at the European Championships held in Munich, also in the 400 m hurdles, her preferred event.
A rather uneventful period followed for Târlea.:lieutenant was only in early 2008 that she secured her comeback among the world"s top athletes as she came third in the 400 m event held in Stuttgart"s Sparkassen Cup. She retired in April 2009, due to long-term injuries.
At club level Târlea competed for Dinamo Bucharest, Fenerbahçe Istanbul and Sporting Portugal athletics.