Nadia Comaneci: I'm Surprised So Many People Remember Me

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, January 29, 2002

Nadia Comaneci: I'm Surprised So Many People Remember Me

Nadia Comaneci visited China for the second time to help mental disabled people from January 26-29 as a member of World Sports Academy and received unexpected welcome from Chinese people.
"I competed many years ago and surprised that many people here remember me," said Nadia during her three-day visit to Beijing.

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Tour of Olympic Champions in China

Nadia Comaneci, born in Romania, produced a lifetime Olympic medal haul of five golds, three silvers and one bronze. She was the first woman to get full marks at 10 points in Gymnastics.

Nadia, together with other three former Olympic champion, Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco and American Edwin Moses and Mark Spitz, is on the tour to promote Unified Sports Program for China's mental handicapped people as part of the global charity programs of the Laureus Sports for Good Foundation.

Gymnastics Star in People's Memory

"I am very happy to be here in China after so many years," said Nadia, whose first tour to China is at 1978, as a gymnast, "I think people interested in me because I was involved in gymnastic and I did what I did. When you achieve something through the years, the pleasure now tries to give back. I like gymnastic".

Gymnastics is an important part of Nadia's life. In Oklahoma, United States, Nadia has a gymnastic school, "we have 1,000 students and 45 coaches there. Now my work in the school has a lot to do with the Olympics. My husband and I gave them speeches and lots of experiences. We expect we have a champion there."

Second Visit for Mental Disabled Persons

Nadia and her husband Bart Connor, former American gymnast, also own an television product company providing commentary and other television programs about the gymnastic around the world. "I enjoy my life now."

Nadia is an ardent supporter of gymnastics as well as charity activities, including her second visit to China to help mental disabled people here.

"I think it is an honor that I can do something and I can make difference by doing so." said Nadia, "We had a great time here in Beijing with the mental handicapped kids, but a great time is not enough. I hope all the great things will happen everyday, I hope everybody will attend this project."

Nadia Comaneci (ROM)

1976 Olympic AA Champion

1975-1977-1979 European AA Champion

1978 World B Champion

1980 Olympic B and FX Champion

Nadia was born on November 12, 1961 in Onesti. Coaches Bela and Marta Karolyi coached her to Olympic gold and world fame. Comaneci is the only woman to win the European AA title three times.

She is also the first gymnast to score a score of 10.00 in an Olympics, and is the youngest Olympic AA champion. Her last competition was the 1981 University Games, where she won 5 gold medals.

After retiring, she coached the Romanian junior national team for a while. Since she was not allowed to leave the country, Comaneci defected in 1989. She came to the US and eventually hooked up with Bart Conner (she and Conner were the winners of the very first American Cup competition in 1976). They married in an elaborate wedding in Bucharest in 1996.

Today, Nadia and Bart own a gymnastics club in Norman, OK, and are editors of International Gymnast magazine.

Medal Total:

Olympics: 5 Gold, 3 Silver, 1 Bronze
Worlds: 2 Gold, 2 Silver
World Cup: 2 Gold, 1 Silver
Europeans: 9 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze

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