Chances are, you have already heard about Nadia Comăneci, the Romanian Olympian. She became a household name after her record-breaking performance at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. However, what most people do not know is her story of how she got to the Olympics, and escaped from Romania after the fact. Let’s lend an ear and hear what happened.
The Early Days
On November 12th, 1961, Nadia Elena Comăneci was born in Onesti, Romania, to parents Gheorghe and Ștefania Comăneci. The couple, both Romanian Orthodox, were beyond thrilled at the birth of their first child. A second child, this time a son, would soon follow.
The Early Days
Hope For Nadia
Nadia isn’t uncommon name in Romania, but her parents had a different reason for naming her that. Nadia’s mother was pregnant when she and her husband were watching a movie that truly inspired them. The protagonist’s name was “Nadya”, which means “hope”. Little did they know just how relevant this name would be.
Hope For Nadia
Full Of Life
As a young child, Nadia was full of boundless energy. She would spend all day bouncing about the house and jumping on the furniture. Her parents, at the end of their rope, decided their daughter needed a positive outlet for her energy. They decided gymnastics would be a good fit. Little did they know that this decision would change their lives forever.
Full Of Life
Going Forward
Nadia was a driven child. She wanted to make a name for herself and achieve greatness. She once said of herself that, “I was driven towards something I wanted to be the best at, and I didn’t know exactly what it was, it happened to be gymnastics.”
Going Forward
Young Talent
One day, while in kindergarten, six-year old Nadia did cartwheels on the playground with one of her school friends. While the two were lost in play, they failed to notice the adults watching them. They turned out to be Márta and Béla Károlyi, a married couple who just happened to be gymnastic coaches. They were at the playground to scout for young talent. The couple followed Nadia and her friend from classroom to classroom in the hopes of getting them to join their gym.
Young Talent
Béla Károlyi
A lifelong sports fan, Béla Károlyi got his start as a hammer-thrower, eventually going on to become a champion in the sport. Then, he made the switch to coaching, starting off with junior boxing. It was not until he met his wife, Márta Károlyi, that he got involved in gymnastics. The two routinely scouted for young talent just like Nadia.
Béla Károlyi
Hard Work
Béla was successful in recruiting Nadia, and the two started working together. Nadia trained for three hours each day, driven by an insatiable desire to win. Márta and Béla could not believe Nadia’s exceptional form and burgeoning talent. Nothing could keep Nadia down—no matter how many times she fell down, she always got up, ready to try again.
Hard Work
Ups And Downs
Thank to her coaches’ rigorous training regime, Nadia Comăneci made it to the Romanian National Junior Championship when she was no more than eight years old. She finished in 13th place, no small feat for someone so young, but she was disappointed at her loss. However, she never lost hope and was only more motivated to succeed. It was this drive that brought her back to the Championship the following year, where she placed first.
Ups And Downs
Practice Makes Perfect
Béla Károlyi believed in hard work and dedication, and the fact that his protégé felt the same lifted his spirits. By the time she was 13 years old, Nadia and Béla were training 8 hours a day, 6 days a week. Talk about dedication! The two had dreams of greatness, and nothing was going to stand in their way.
Practice Makes Perfect
Never Too Much
Years after she became a champion, Nadia was asked whether or not she felt that the Károlyis had over-trained her, or pushed her too hard. Nadia felt that the opposite was true. She insisted that whenever Béla gave her an exercise, she always took it the extra mile, insisting on doing more and more. She wanted, more than anything else, to be the very best.
Never Too Much
Gold and Silver
The budding gymnastic star made her European debut in 1975 at the European Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships, which were held in Skien, Norway. In all but one competition, Nadia took home the gold, and in that one she managed silver. At only 13 years old, she was capturing attention worldwide and making spectators take notice.
Gold And Silver
The American Cup
In 1976, Nadia Comăneci left Europe for the first time, flying across the globe to the United States to compete in the American Cup, which was a warm-up for the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal that same year. The world went into a frenzy over this talented child when she earned herself a set of perfect scores.
The American Cup
Two Winners
After her stellar performance came the awards ceremony. Two silver cups were awarded to two talented gymnasts, one male and one female. Nadia Comăneci earned hers with gracious humility, and the second cup when to Bart Conner from the United States. This was the first meeting between the two, and it would prove to be a life-altering event for both of them.
Two Winners
Young Love
As the two athletes modeled with their medals, photographers huddled around them to snap shots. One of them shouted out, “Kiss for the cameras, please!” Bar Conner, who at the time was barely older than 18, leaned over and planted a chaste kiss on 14 year old Nadia’s cheek. The two of them made quite the cute picture, and the shot planted Nadia firmly in America’s heart.
Young Love
Summer Olympics
It was only four months after the American Cup when Nadia made history at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games. Nadia dominated the area, leaving the judges and spectators stunned with amazement. Her stunning performances earned her a perfect score of 10. And not just one, but six! She shattered world records, becoming the first gymnast in history to ever earn so many perfect scores in Olympic history. Nadia Comăneci had arrived.
Summer Olympics
Confusion In The Crowd
Because such a feat was unprecedented in Olympic history, there were one or two little hiccups. Omega SA, who made the digital scoreboards used by the Olympic Games, had failed to program the boards to be able to display “10,” believe such an accomplishment to be impossible. Instead of “10”, what was displayed was simply “1.00”. Nadia, her coach, and the crowed stared at the display, puzzled, before they realized what the score actually meant.
Confusion In The Crowd
Writing History
Fans were wild to know how Nadia felt about her history-making score and the attention grabbing moment. Nadia came out and said that when she competes, she prefers not to check the scoreboards. “I didn’t know I was making history when I got the 10.”
Writing History
The Perfect “10”
At first, Nadia’s coach, Béla Károlyi, was furious. He thought there must have been some mistake, or some penalty that he has not noticed. He recalled, “I said ‘holy cow, they deducted something over here, there is a deduction, there is a penalty,’ I was on my way to the jury, then I heard, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, first time in the history of the sport, a perfect 10 in the Olympic Games.’”
The Perfect “10”
For Now And Always
Aside from making such a record for the first time ever, Nadia was all of 14 years old when she did so! What makes this record even more incredible is that she will always remain the youngest person to have achieved this feat since the Olympic committee has since deemed 16 years old to be the youngest eligible age for the competition.
For Now And Always
Humble Nadia
After nailing multiple perfect scores came yet another award ceremony. An official asked young Nadia how she felt about making history. The world held its collective breath as the 14 year old athlete answered, “It’s okay. I’ve gotten 19 golds in other competitions.” Talk about confidence!
Humble Nadia
In With The New
At the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany, Olga Korbut, an athlete from the former Soviet Union, had become the world’s darling due to her almost flawless performance. However, now there was a new girl in town, and as the next competition loomed, it was time for Korbut to put her pride behind her.
In With The New
A New Hero
When Nadia and her team flew back to Bucharest from Montreal, she had no idea about the kind of reception she was going to receive on her return. More than 10,000 people gathered to see their new national hero. Nadia didn’t know how to react to the massive cheering crowd, and for a moment she actually retreated back to the airplane.
A New Hero
National Pride
When Nadia Comăneci returned to her home in Romania, she was greeted as a national hero. No other Romanian athlete in the country’s history had ever done what she had. The president at the time, Nicolae Ceaușescu, awarded her the “Sickle and Hammer Gold Medal”, heralding her as a hero of “Socialist Labor.” There were even rumors spread that the government had given her family a car and even a full month off of work.
National Pride
Dedications To Nadia Comăneci
On the tailwind of Nadia’s success, Cinematographer Robert Riger put together a video montage of Nadia’s performance during the 1976 Olympic Games. He paired the footage with a hit song from the year 1971, called “Cotton’s Dream”. The song was composed by Barry De Vorzon and Perry Botkin, Jr, and quickly become synonymous with Nadia and her success. The song rose to the top of the top ten charts and was eventually renamed “Nadia’s Theme.”
Dedications To Nadia Comăneci
Athlete Of The Year
Songs dedicated to her were just the beginning. Newsweek Magazine dedicated a full page cover, in color and everything, to her with the caption “A Star Is Born”. BBC awarded her the title “Overseas Sports Personality of the Year”, and the Associated Press called her, “Female Athlete of the Year”. The world could not get enough of Nadia Comăneci.
Athlete Of The Year
No Space
Nadia quickly overcame other news stories. Even though much of the world was abuzz with a recent space mission to Mars, Time Magazine dedicated its cover to Nadia Comăneci, with only a small corner left for the Mars mission.
No Space
New Moves
Nadia did more than just master gymnastic moves—she invented them! Some of her perfect moves include the “Comăneci salto” and the “Comăneci dismount”. Nadia left her mark on the sport of gymnastic, of that we are sure.
New Moves
Turbulent Times
Everything seemed like smooth sailing for Nadia. Her career had never been better, and she enjoyed worldwide popularity. Then, out of nowhere, she was blindsided. Her parents decided that it was time to get divorced. Suddenly, Nadia and her brother were tossed into an impossible situation.
Turbulent Times
Losing Béla
This, unfortunately, was just the start of Nadia’s back luck. Romanian sporting officials suddenly decided that her coach, Béla Károlyi, could better serve the country by coaching someone else. Nadia was heartbroken—this was the man that had trained her since she was only six years old. Sadly, this was just the first step down a dark and dangerous path for Nadia.
Losing Béla
Stress Overload
Nadia was far too young for all the sudden stress manifesting in her life. At only 15 years old, she was ill-equipped to deal with it all. This all led to her losing the will to train—she stopped going to the gym. She even ended up in the hospital from symptoms of extremely high stress levels.
Stress Overload
Keeping To Herself
With her focused determination and passion for success, Nadia garnered a bit of a reputation as “an emotionless gymnast”. However, this could not be further from the truth. At the time, Nadia was extremely emotional, and rightly so! But, she did not often show her feelings, preferring to keep them bottled up. Her coach, Béla Károlyi said that “she kept everything inside.” Poor Nadia was simply too young to handle it all.
Keeping To Herself
Time To Restart
Soon, officials from the Romanian Sporting Authority began to realize what effect their decision to remove Béla as Nadia’s coach had on the young athlete. Thus, he was promptly reinstated as her coach. The reunion was quite tearful, but overall a happy one. However, they did not have time to sit around and catch up. The Olympic Games, to be held in Moscow, were right around the corner.
Time To Restart
Hands On
In sports, injuries can happen at any time. In 1979, while competing in the World Championships, Nadia accidently cut her wrist on a metal grip buckle. She was rushed to the hospital, where she was advised not to return to compete in the games. However, Nadia would not let anything stand in her way. She defied the doctors, went back to the competition, and won the first gold medal for her team.
Hands On
Moscow Summer Olympics
With very little time on their hands, Nadia and Béla had to give it their all. For five, intense weeks, the duo trained nonstop in order to prepare for the upcoming competition. These Olympic Games, to be held in Moscow, would prove to be controversial. The United States, for example, refused to send a team to compete as a protest against the USSR’s involvement in Afghanistan. But an even larger problem loomed in the minds of the Russians– Nadia Comăneci.
Moscow Summer Olympics
Hecklers In The Crowd
Nothing would distract Nadia from winning. The world’s attention refocused on her yet again, but she did not let the pressure get to her. Even drunk hecklers in the crowd, Russian soldiers yelling “Fall, Nadia! Fall!” could not distract her. And even though she did not have the optimal amount of time to train before competing, she still snagged four medals, two gold, and two silver.
Hecklers In The Crowd
Unfair Scoring
Once again, Nadia blew judges and spectators away with her flawless performances, but everything was not smooth sailing ahead. The judges were taking an exceptionally long time in delivering her scores, and Bela Károlyi suspected something was up. When the scores were finally revealed, they were far too low for the performance Nadia had just given. He made a giant scene, which was captured and televised around the world. Some thought his antics embarrassed Romania, and suddenly Bela worried about his safety upon returning home.
Unfair Scoring
Mutual Respect
Even with the recent scandal in Moscow lingering in the air, Nadia earned herself a gold medal, along with the respect of her competitors and admiration of fans around the globe. Nellie Kim, a gymnast from the USSR, hugged and congratulated her on the podium. She even dispelled the myth about Nadia’s lack of feelings by saying, “She was psychologically prepared, not emotionless.”
Mutual Respect
Escaping The Grip
In order to promote Nadia across America, the Gymnastics Federation, in 1981, created a tour called “Nadia 81.” Spread across 11 cities, it gave Nadia a chance to be loved and admired by Americans, but more importantly, it offered her coach a chance at safety. Bela defected to the United States, leaving Nadia once again with a deep feeling of abandonment.
Escaping The Grip
No Way Out
Afraid that Nadia too would defect and that they would lose their star athlete, the Romanian government instituted a travel ban for Nadia. Her phone calls and letters were screened and monitored. She had no privacy or freedom. The only time she was allowed to leave Romania was when she fly to Cuba and a couple European countries in order to compete.
No Way Out
Throwing In The Towel
Nadia made a bold move in 1984 when she decided to retire from gymnastics. But this decision didn’t mean that she was done with gymnastics altogether. Nadia went on to become a coach for the Romanian gymnastics team. This was going to bring her to a difficult place at future competitions.
Throwing In The Towel
The New Girl
When Nadia went with her country’s team to the 1984 Olympic Games, she was in for a shocking surprise. Across the mats she saw her former coach, Béla Károlyi. Béla was now working as a gymnastics coach for the U.S. team, and he had Mary Lou Retton, his impressive new protégé. Even though it hurt Nadia to see him, she knew that he had only done what was best for him.
The New Girl
Mary Lou Retton
Born on January 24th, 1968, Mary Lou Retton had grown a passion for gymnastics, and she attributed that passion to Nadia Comaenci’s performance at the Montreal Olympic Games in 1976. When she heard that Nadia’s former coaches, Márta and Béla Károlyi were living in Houston, Texas, she moved there to be trained by them.
Mary Lou Retton
New Success
Soon her training with the Károlyi couple proved to pay off. At the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, she became the first female from outside of Eastern Europe to win the individual all-around gold. Incredibly, it was Romania’s Ecaterina Szabo who she was up against at the competition.
New Success
Keeping Distance
Nadia couldn’t keep her eyes off the American group at the Olympic Games. It wasn’t Mary Lou Retton that was tearing her heart up, it was Béla, her former coach. Nadia was given strict orders that she was not to talk to him at all. Nadia was suffering, and she felt that she needed to get out of Romania.
Keeping Distance
Hope On The Horizon
It wasn’t until 1987, while attending a party, that Nadia glimpsed her first chance at escape. She met a rather interesting man named Constantin Panait. He claimed to have defected to the United States from America. He also said he had become a US citizen. Little did Nadia know how much Panait—for better and for worse—would change her life.
Hope On The Horizon
The Only Chance
Because Panait was able to produce his American citizenship, Nadia trusted him. Though it was risky, she decided to follow him and attempt to escape Romania. They managed it, in 1989, by first sneaking into Hungary, and then Austria. Finally, the duo made It all the way to America, actually flying through Canada first. Just weeks after they landed, the Romanian Revolution toppled the government.
The Only Chance
Goodbyes
Worse than deciding to leave her home country was having to say goodbye to her family. She was worried that her mom might even have a heart attack, but her brother calmed her down and told Nadia that she had to follow through on her plan.
Goodbyes
A Close Call
The journey had its fair share of risks. Once, while trying to cross over the Hungarian border, a group of patrolmen spotted them. As they were questioned, the soldiers recognized Nadia, and promptly let her go without a word. Scary to think just how differently the situation could have turned out.
A Close Call
A Mixed Reception
Nadia’s arrival in the United States made big news, understandably. Word quickly spread as journalists hounded the young Olympic star, hungry for answers to their questions such as, “what are your plans now?” Always cool under pressure, Nadia answered with a smile and a little broken English. Though some Americans were less than happy with her arrival, due to some negative rumors being spread around, most of the country was thrilled to have her.
A Mixed Reception
Held Back
As soon as Béla Károlyi got word that Nadia had made it to America, he reached out to her, trying to get in contact with her. And he was not the only one. In fact, many people were trying to contact her, but none of them were getting a response. Why was Nadia not returning their calls? Because she was not getting them. Constantin Panait was intercepting them, and making sure Nadia never heard about them.
Held Back
Life Of Mystery
Constantin Panait took advantage of Nadia’s poor command of spoken English to keep her isolated. Something bizarre was going on between them. Even though he had a wife, Panait and Nadia often stayed together in motels and hotels. When the press questioned her, she only said, “It’s a secret,” and stuck out her tongue. Something shady was definitely going down.
Life Of Mystery
A Friend In Need
It was not until Nadia was on a visit to Canada that she was able to get help. While on vacation, she ran into her friend, Alexandru Stefu, who questioned her about her strange behavior surrounding Panait. She opened up and confessed that Panait had been holding her against her will. Furious, Stefu decided to confront Panait, who ran off at the first sign of trouble. He fled the country with a sizable portion of Nadia’s money. However, despite the way he treated her, Nadia is still grateful for Panait helping her get to America.
A Friend In Need
Bart Conner Returns
While Stefu was confronting Panait, Nadia was preparing for her appearance on the Pat Sajak Show. Bart Conner heard about Nadia’s guest appearance, and he knew he just had to see her again.
Bart Conner
Meeting Nadia Comăneci
Talk about a flashback! Nadia and Bart had met at the 1976 American Cup, so it had been years since they had stood side by side with their silver cups. It was Bart who had set that candid kiss on Nadia’s cheek, so this was going to be a big moment.
Meeting Nadia Comăneci
By All Means
Bart’s heart was pounding when his flight touched down in Los Angeles. He was set on surprising Nadia and he knew that he didn’t have much time to get to the studio where she was going to be interviewed. The show was going to start at 5:00pm and his flight touched down at 4:45pm. Bart organized a helicopter to fly him to the studio!
By All Means
Reunited Again
Bart Conner made his entrance with a big, beautiful bouquet of flowers. He walked up to Nadia Comăneci, handed her the flowers, and kissed her on the cheek. Then, as if on the spur of the moment, he kissed her other cheek too. The crowd went wild, and their previous, iconic kiss was on everyone’s mind.
Reunited Again
Friend Zone
Nadia had no idea that Bart was developing a crush on her. She only thought he was a friendly, welcoming guy. She recalled that, during the Olympic Games in Montreal in 1976, he bounced around from person to person on the bus, talking to everyone. Little did she know that he specifically had his eye on her.
Friend Zone
More than A Date
The two started spending more and more time together, and they slowly realized that all the time they spent together could be considered as dates. They came to the realization that they were more than just friends. After four years of being together, Bart got down on one and knee and popped the question to Nadia.
More Than A Date
Wedding Day
In order to celebrate their wedding, Nadia and Bart flew across the Atlantic Ocean. They wanted to get married in Romania. Nadia was naturally a bit skeptical—how would her countrymen welcome her after her defection to the United States? It must have been quite a surprise when they were greeted by over 10,000 adoring fans.
Wedding Day
The Whole Nation
In 1996, the two got married. It became a national holiday, and the ceremony was televised for the whole country to watch. It was even referred to by some as “the royal wedding of sport”. What a beautiful wedding it must have been!
The Whole Nation
Little Bart
Ten years later, in 2006, Nadia and Bart welcomed their son, Dylan Paul, into the world. Slowly but surely, the two were starting a family in the United States. Once, during an interview, Isabelle Kumar asked Nadia if she felt more at home in Romania or America. She said, “I am a Romanian, but I am adopted by America.”
Little Bart
A Secret Wonder
Growing up, Dylan thought his parents were just like everybody else’s. But he soon realized just who they were. One day after school, he innocently asked his mom, “Do you know that you’re famous?” Nadia laughed and said, yes, she did, before showing him pictures of her and Bart’s different competitions.
A Secret Wonder
Young And Old
Ten years after Dylan was born, in 2016, Nadia took to Twitter to share her happiness with the world. She posted a picture of her ten year old son with Martha Károlyi, the wife of her former coach, Béla Károlyi. She wrote that the two meeting felt like her life had come “full circle,” which makes sense considering Nadia would not be where she is today without them.
Young And Old
Coming Together
A picture uploaded to social media in 2016 by Mary Lou Retton made fans really smile. The photo showed herself, Béla Károlyi, and Nadia all together. The caption read, “Two of my heroes!” Nobody needed a clearer sign that everything was good between the three of them.
Coming Together
Nadia Comăneci And Caitlyn Jenner
Nadia was not the only soon to be celebrity competing in Montreal, Canada during the 1976 Olympic Games. Caitlyn Jenner was also there, competing in Track and Field. However, the two gold medalists never crossed paths. As Jenner explained, “Gymnastics finished before Track and Field started, so I was already gone by the time she competed.” It was not until 2016 that the two finally got the chance to meet. They hit it off immediately.
Nadia Comăneci And Caitlyn Jenner
Nadia Comăneci And Arnold Schwarzenegger
Jenner is not the only celebrity eager for a chance to meet Nadia. One day, while working out at her local gym, Nadia was spotted by a certain former California governor. Schwarzenegger could not help coming up and asking her for a picture. “It is fantastic to get to the gym early and have an Olympic champion as your trainer – thanks Nadia Comaneci! 10 reps to honor the first perfect 10 score in the Olympics.” The two discussed training tips as well.
Nadia Comăneci And Arnold Schwarzenegger
Commentators
Nadia and Bart were more than just a great couple at home. In 2008 at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, the two of them shared each-other’s company as commentators for the Games. Now that’s really called “doing what you love”!
Commentators
Judging Themselves
The 2008 Olympic Games would not be the last time they judged gymnastic talent. The Olympic Committee decided to have some fun. They set up a studio with a screen, cameras and microphones, and cast the two athletes’ routines from their best performances at the Olympics. They then went on to commentate on each of their performances. How sweet?
Judging Themselves
Running With Fire
Taking a leap backwards, we can see another time this couple shared a special moment together. This photograph shows them running a leg of the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Torch Relay in Oklahoma. Nadia would receive this honor once more.
Running With Fire
The Olympic Torch
In a sleek white tracksuit once again, Nadia joined basketball star, John Amaechi on the 02 Arena’s roof before the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
The Olympic Torch
Keeping Flexible
Nowadays Nadia spends a lot of time on the road, which means that she needs to be fit and active. Other than eating very well and doing exercise routinely, Nadia believes that stretching is the key to staying young and flexible.
Keeping Flexible
Ten For Ten
It would seem that the number “10” has become a special one for Nadia Comaneci. It would be no surprise then that her net worth is about $10 million!
Ten For Ten
The Girl Next Door
To many, Nadia is a national and international hero. But back home in her hometown, a small building called the “Memorial Nadia Comaneci Montreal” is dedicated to the brilliance that is Nadia Comaneci. It’s a monument that will stand to honor her for years to come.
The Girl Next Door
Letters To A Young Gymnast
A story like Nadia’s should not be left untold, and after Nadia was encouraged to write about it, she eventually did. Her biography, “Letters To A Young Gymnast”, is more than just an interesting read; it is a guide to achieving the heart’s greatest desires, despite the difficulties we face.
Letters To A Young Gymnast
Nadia Comăneci And Katie Holmes
Nadia just cannot seem to keep the celebrities away! Hollywood actress Katie Holmes became enamored with the Olympic athlete and approached her about telling her life story. The end result was a movie called “Eternal Princess.”
Nadia Comăneci And Katie Holmes
A Lot In Common
More than just a tribute to and telling of Nadia’s life, the film served to help people—especially Holmes herself—get to know Nadia on a personal level. While working on the movie, Holmes and Nadia soon realized just how much they had in common. Both of them had become famous while still very young, they had both experienced rapid success and sudden failure, as well as having to contend with overbearing partners.
A Lot In Common
Winning
“Eternal Princess” was not Nadia’s only Hollywood experience. In 2016, Director Jacqueline Joseph decided to make a documentary called “Winning”, featuring some of the greatest athletes from around the globe. It included, among others: Tennis star Martina Navratilova, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, track and field great Edwin Moses, Dutch Paralympian Esther Vergeer and Nadia Comaneci.
Winning
Visiting The White House
It seems like everyone wants a piece of Nadia! Back in 2014, she and husband Bart Conner were even invited to the White House! There they met President Barack Obama and his wife, First Lady Michelle Obama. The visit took place just a few short months before the Special Olympics, and it generated quite the buzz!
Visiting The White House
The Special Olympics
Though Nadia and Bart have stopped competing athletically, they are still very much a part of the Olympic Games. In fact, they are ambassadors for the Special Olympics, which means it is their job to trot around the globe, drumming up money and support for athletes and the Games themselves.
The Special Olympics
Nadia Comăneci and Donald Trump
With the Special Olympics in mind, Nadia took part in the celebrity edition of Donald Trump’s The Apprentice. Even though she didn’t manage to raise the money she wished to for the Special Olympics, she had great things to say about her experience, “I had great fun. I only did it because it was all for charity.”
Nadia Comăneci And Donald Trump
Their Projects
The Special Olympic Games are not the only philanthropic organization that Nadia and Bart are involved in. They actively take part in the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which provides research and services for neuromuscular disease patients.
Their Projects
Nadia’s Clinic
Though Nadia and Bart do a lot of volunteer work together, Nadia also does a fair share on her own. For example, she opened the “Nadia Comăneci Children’s Clinic” in Bucharest, which provides free or subsidized medical and social services to Romanian children.
Nadias Clinic
The Youth Is The Future
Nadia is a strong believer in the positive benefits of sports for young children. She thinks it is great outlet for their energy, as well as great for their health. She also believes that it provides structure, which in turn helps them learn discipline and the joy of achieving something.
The Youth Is The Future
Lifetime Achievements
Though it has been a while since she competed in an Olympic Game, Nadia’s influence is far from over. In fact, in 1999, ABC News added her to list of the ‘100 Most Important Women of the 20th Century’. Even more, The International Association of Sports Writers listed her on the ‘25 Outstanding Sports People of the 20th Century’.
Lifetime Achievements
Fairytale Or Fate
Nadia’s life seems a little hard to believe at times. Once, while conducting an interview, she was asked if she ever felt like her life was a fairytale. She answered honestly: “I don’t want my life to be scripted, it becomes too cheesy. I brought motivation to my generation and the generation after me. You should never give up when it gets hard.”
Fairytale Or Fate
Connecting The Dots
In the same interview, the interviewer, Isabelle Kumar, went on and asked if there was anything in her life that Nadia would change if she could. Nadia gave the perfect answer. She claimed that it was all the hardships she endured that made her into the person she is today. She called it “connecting the dots”.
Connecting The Dots
An Epic Timelapse
Here is a photographic time-lapse of the tremendous gymnastic feat achieved by Nadia Comaneci. These are the moments that would earn her a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games for the first time ever.
An Epic Timelapse
Always Positive
She had a smile that could never be erased. Nadia never let her circumstances get her down, and even when the worst seemed to happen, she knew how to pick herself up and move forward.
Always Positive
Early Awards
From a young age, Nadia was cleaning up at competitions. It wasn’t just her competitive spirit that took her to great heights, it was passion too.
Early Awards
Her Younger Brother
Adrian Comăneci, Nadia’s younger brother is seen enjoying an intimate moment with his sister. The two had a difficult childhood.
Her Younger Brother
In Amsterdam
The countries around the world await their lucky turn to have the legendary Nadia Comaneci train in their gyms. Here she is in a gym in Amsterdam, Holland.
In Amsterdam
Not Just Gymnastics
Like many athletes, Nadia enjoys a number of sports aside from gymnastics. These sports include skiing, as well as soccer, as you can see. It’s an old photograph, but it’s still precious.
Not Just Gymnastics
Showing Them The Ropes
Nadia’s gift is one that she wants to share with anyone seeking to improve their skills. She was tasked with training and motivating young Romanian gymnasts, even when she herself was still so young.
Showing Them The Ropes
Signing Autographs
This pictures is worth as thousand words. She might have thought that she could enjoy a day at the beach, but once she became a national hero, days in the shadows became a thing of the past. These children were thrilled to get the autograph of the great, Nadia Comaneci.
Signing Autographs
Sportsmanship
Sport is all about mutual respect, and putting one’s ego aside. Although we do have to admit that it’s not always simple to do.
Sportsmanship
The Physical Toll
After hours and hours, an endless days of training, Nadia’s hands suffered. But even with the physical tool they took, they never a setback for Nadia.
The Physical Toll
Unreal
A photograph like this can only look like trick photography. However, this is real. The crowd watches in awe as Nadia Comaneci flies through the air during a perfect routine.
Unreal
What Balance
Considering that her body was mainly made up muscle and bones, it’s no surprise that Nadia’s balance and core strength were unbreakable.
What Balance
Inspiring Young Lives
Nadia Comăneci is an inspiration to us all. She has proven time and time again that if you work hard, you can achieve anything. She has overcome great hardships in her life—communist oppression, having to leave her family, her parents’ divorce, her controlling partner—but they have helped shape her into the hero we know and love. Nadia offers us great lessons about not letting life get us down, about working hard, and pursuing your dreams. What a great role model!
Inspiring Young Lives