Nadia Comaneci
Personal status:
Born: Nadia Elena Comaneci Date: November 12, 1961 Born in Onesti (official name, Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej), Romania.
Named after "Nadezhda" (the heroine of a Russian film), which means "Hope". Parents: Gheorghe and Stefania-Alexandrina Comaneci One brother, Adrian, born 1967.
Kindergarten up to 1976 Olympics
Starts Kindergarten at age three. 1st introduction to gymnastics in school by Marcel Duncan. Joined a newly formed gym club, "The Flame," in 1967: coaches are Marta Karolyi and Valeriu Munteanu.
Accepted in the new Gymnastics High School in 1969. Coached by Marta Karolyi, assisted by husband, Bela. Competed in her first national competition in 1970, as a member of the Onesti team. The Onesti team won, despite falling three times during her beam routine (7.25); a major turning point in her attitude towards the sport. 1971 and 1972, wins jr. national all-around title.
1971, wins the all-around (38.50) in her first international competition, Ljubljana, Yugoslavia. October 1974, with teammate Teodora Ungureanu, participated in an exhibition in France. Soviet Union star, and Nadia's idol, Ludmilla Tourisheva, was present. Nadia and Teodora stole the show, as it were. Became eligible to compete at the senior level in January, 1975.
In May 1975, she won the all-around in the European Championship, in Skien, Norway, beating Ludmilla Tourisheva and 16-year-old Soviet rising star, Nelli Kim. Nadia took gold for Beam, Bars, and Vault, and silver for floor. 1975 Associated Press Athlete of the Year. March 1976, won the first American Cup competition, held in New York City. Scores two 10's (Vault and Floor), Winner of the men's competition is her future husband, American Bart Conner.
XXI Olympiad, Montreal, Canada
July 18: the team compulsory exercises; scored the first ever 10.00 (Bars) in Olympic competition. July 19: the team optional exercises; scored 10.00 (2) on Beam, and Bars (3), Romania capture the silver medal. July 21: the all-around; starting on Bars, scored 10.00 (4), then Beam (5). Nadia took the gold medal.
July 23: the individual finals; scored 10.00 (6) on Bars, for a perfect maximum score of 20.00 Ditto for Beam, 10.00 (7) for a max of 20.00. Placed third on Floor, set to, "Yes Sir, That's My Baby" (not "Nadia's Theme" as some get confused). Finished fourth on Vault. Medal take was three gold, one silver, and one bronze.
Post Olympics up to 1979 European Championship
Awarded the gold medal of a Hero of the Socialist Party, the youngest Romanian to do so. September 1976, an American TV crew, along with comedian Flip Wilson, arrived in Onesti to film a one hour special on Nadia, which premiered on CBS in November. December 1976, competed in the Chunichi Cup, in Japan. Used the same routines from Montreal; showed already signs of growth and slight weight gain; scored two 10.00's (Bars and Floor).
1977, Nadia's parents divorce. 1977 European Championship, Prague, Czechoslovakia: successfully defended All-Around title. During the individual round, tied with Elena Mukhina (USSR) for the Bars. In vault, following a protest by the Soviets over scoring, Nelli Kim was awarded the gold medal over Nadia. The Romanian team leaved in protest, is disqualified from the individual competition, and Nadia had to return her gold from the Bars. Fall, 1977, the Romanian team toured Mexico and US; Nadia's body growth and weight gains were more apparent, but still pleased the audience. During the Romanian vs. US competition, Nadia won a well deserved medal.
Later, 1977: Bela Karolyi was removed as Nadia's coach and transferred. Nadia was put under the direction of Gheorghe Condovici, Iosif Hidi, and Antanasia. 1978, hospitalized for poisoning after drinking some bleach; exact details, and motive (if any) remain a mystery. Several stories, attributed to Nadia by various sources and rumors, abound. November, 1978: The World Championships, Strasbourg, France; estimated four inches taller, and twenty pounds heavier. Tied for second going into the Bars, fell to the floor, and out of the all-around medal race...
...after the pressure of the all-around passes, had a brief come-back during the individual beam competition; she took gold. 1978: the Romanian Nationals; Nadia did not compete,only sat in the stands as a spectator. Emilia Eberle became the new National Champion. 1979: Bela was rejoined by Nadia. Different stories tell who did what, and why.
Competitive Comeback through Moscow Olympics
1979, the European Championships; biggest comeback in gymnastics history; took the all-around gold for the third straight time. December, 1979: World Championships, Ft. Worth, Texas; frail looking and boney; many fear her drive to trim down has gone too far... ...recouping from an illness and nursing an infected and swelling left wrist, was forced to withdraw from the competition after the team finals. Romania took the gold.
Summer, 1980: The 22nd Olympiad; Moscow; lost the all-around by the slightest of margins, after a 27 minute heated debate by judges results in gold to Yelena Davydova (USSR)... ...won two golds in the individual finals (Beam and Floor), and a silver for Vault. Career Olympic medal take is five gold, three silver, and one bronze.
1981 - 2000
Early 1981, Romanian team toured US again. After final show, Bela and Marta Karolyi decided to stay in the United States. Later 1981: she competed in her last major competition took all five gold medals.
, the World University Games, held in Romania; takes all five gold medals. 1984: aged 22, she officially retired from competition; attended Los Angeles Olympics as VIP guest of head organizer, Peter Uberoth.
1984: graduated the Institute of Physical Education and Sports in Bucharest. 1984-89: worked for Romanian Gymnastics Federation and coached Jr. National team. November 1989: fled to Hungary, then to the American Embassy in Vienna, Austria, where she was granted asylum in the United States; arrived in the US December 1
Fled Romania with help from Constantin Panait, whom she paid $5000. Panait maintained control of Nadia's life. Rumors of abuse abound. Today, Nadia speaks little of this time. 1990-91: resided in Canada with Alexandru Stefu (Romanian rugby coach) and wife; got back into shape, joined some gymnastics exhibitions, reacquainted herself with Bart Conner. 1991: Alexandru Stefu died in freak drowning incident. Bart Conner, who had become a close phone pal with Nadia, invited her to live in Norman, Oklahoma, where he owned a gymnastics academy.
November 12, 1994: 33rd birthday, Bart proposed at the Amsteel International Hotel, in Amsterdam. November 1994: made her first visit back to Romania, taking Bart with her. Nadia's father agreed to Bart's request for Nadia's hand in marriage. April 26, 1996: married in a Civil Ceremony in Romania, followed by a church wedding the next day.
1999: finished the millennium with a host of awards and citations as one of the great female athletes of the century. November 12, 2000: Nadia turned 39. One assumes she'll remain 39 until the year 2010. December 2000, spokes person for UN to launch the International Year of Volunteers
|
source: http://www.ici.ro/romania/culture/index.html
|
|
|
|
Copyright © Consulate General of Romania 2004
