ORnesti (Romania) 1 June. (askanews) – Party in Onesti, in eastern Romania, to celebrate the return of the great gymnast Nadia Comaneci to her hometown 50 years after her historic victory at the Montreal Olympics in 1976.
A legend for national sport and beyond: one of the most famous gymnasts ever for having obtained a “perfect 10” on that occasion at just 14 years old, the first athlete to reach the maximum score at the Olympic Games in artistic gymnastics. More Olympic medals followed, nine in all, including five golds.
“It’s always so exciting to come back, I feel like I haven’t been away for long… I don’t feel like I’ve been away for so many years and I’m happy that we can celebrate together,” she told reporters after attending an anniversary gala in his honor.
The gymnast left Romania in ’89 to start a new life in the United States. But she has a gymnastics school in her home country, as well as being a sports ambassador. “This is an important year for everyone. Let’s hit the reset button, okay? For movement, for sports, for health, for independence, for learning to navigate the right direction in life.”
“What makes me happy is to see here that these children want to discover their limits, follow their passion and their love for gymnastics and see our legacy – he added in the press conference – maybe we won’t go anywhere, but let’s move forward, with today’s generation and the next one”. “I’m happy that Nadia Comaneci is here to see what I’m doing,” says a 9-year-old athlete from the school where she started.
And Ingrid Istrate, director of Onesti Sports Club, adds: “We need to improve our coaches, support our athletes, we need training facilities and what will happen to Onesti through the restructuring of the club will provide all these conditions so that we can develop a strategy and grow.”
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