On Monday, 22nd January 2001, Gheorghe performed a great free including 9 triples at the qualifying round of the 2001 Europens in Bratislava. He landed 3axel+2toe in the beginning of his program, and then did all the triples repeating the 3axel later on. He had two 3lutzes and two 3salchows, one in combination with 3toe. This performance let him in second place in the grup right after Evgeni Pliushenko.