Nadia Comăneci is a Romanian retired gymnast and a five-time Olympic gold medalist, all earned in individual events. She is famous for her recognition as one of the world's most renowned gymnasts. Making history in 1976 at the age of 14, she became the first gymnast to achieve a perfect score of 10.0 at the Olympic Games, garnering seven more perfect 10s at the same event in Montreal and securing three gold medals. In the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, she added two more gold medals and two perfect 10s to her remarkable career achievements. Over her illustrious career, she amassed nine Olympic medals and four World Artistic Gymnastics Championship medals. Since defecting from Communist Romania in 1989, she has resided in the United States, collaborating with and marrying American Olympic gold-medalist gymnast Bart Conner, who established his own gymnastics school.
Early Life
Nadia Comăneci, born on November 12, 1961, hails from Onești, Romania. She holds Romanian-American nationality and belongs to a Mixed ethnicity. Raised in the Carpathian Mountains in Bacău County, her birth name is Nadia Elena Comăneci. She celebrated her 62nd birthday in 2023. About her family, she was born to her father, Gheorghe (1936–2012), and her mother, Ștefania Comăneci. Nadia spent her early childhood with her younger brother, Adrian, in the Romanian Orthodox Church.
Following her parents' separation in the 1970s, her father relocated to Bucharest. In her early years, Nadia's boundless energy led her mother to enroll her in gymnastics classes. Despite the challenges of her parents' separation, Comăneci excelled in gymnastics, eventually earning a degree in sports education from Politehnica University of Bucharest, qualifying her to coach gymnastics.
Career
- Nadia Comăneci's journey in gymnastics began at the age of 6 when she caught the attention of coach Béla Károlyi while performing cartwheels in a schoolyard.
- Enrolled in Károlyi's experimental gymnastics school, she became one of its first students in Onești.
- Training intensively, she balanced gymnastics with a home life, as she was a resident of the town.
- By age 9, Comăneci became the youngest gymnast to win the Romanian Nationals.
- Her international breakthrough came at 13, dominating the 1975 European Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships.
- She continued her success, winning titles in various competitions, including the pre-Olympic test event in Montreal.
- Nellie Kim emerged as a formidable rival, setting the stage for Comăneci's remarkable gymnastics career.
- In March 1976, she participated in the American Cup, achieving rare perfect scores of 10 for her vault and floor exercise, ultimately winning the all-around competition. It was during this event that she first met American gymnast Bart Conner.
- A few months later, they both competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, where Comăneci made history by earning the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics during the team compulsory portion on the uneven bars.
- She went on to earn six more 10s, winning gold in the individual all-around, balance beam, and uneven bars, along with a bronze and silver in floor exercise and team all-around, respectively.
- At the age of 14, she became the youngest Olympic gymnastics all-around champion.
- Comăneci's achievements garnered widespread recognition, including BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year and Associated Press's Female Athlete of the Year.
- She also received accolades in Romania and became the youngest person to receive the Sickle and Hammer Gold Medal.
- The instrumental piece "Nadia's Theme" became associated with her, reaching the top 10 charts in 1976, although she never performed to it.
- In 1977, she successfully defended her European all-around title, but controversy erupted over scoring issues, leading Romanian leader Ceaușescu to order the gymnasts to leave the competition.
- Post the 1977 Europeans, Comăneci faced coaching changes and personal struggles, surviving a suicide attempt.
- Competing at the 1978 World Championships, she faced challenges, finishing fourth all-around but winning on beam and securing silver on vault.
- Allowed to return to the Károlyis school, she went on to win her third consecutive European all-around title in 1979 and contributed to Romania's team gold at the World Championships, despite battling blood poisoning.
- In 1980, she participated in the Moscow Olympics, winning two golds, and two silvers, and facing scoring controversies.
- Her coach's protests led to difficulties for Bela Károlyi with the Romanian government.
- Comăneci remains the only gymnast to defend an Olympic gold medal in the balance beam.
- In 1981, Nadia was selected for the official tour "Nadia '81" in the United States, led by her coaches Béla and Márta Károlyi.
- During the tour, the Károlyis defected, dramatically altering Comăneci's life in Romania as officials feared her potential defection.
- Despite restrictions on her travel, she participated in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles as an observer.
- The Romanian government continued to limit her movements, and she officially retired in 1984.
- Feeling like a prisoner, she defected on November 27, 1989, just before the Romanian Revolution, crossing the Hungary–Romania border with a group of defectors and ultimately reaching the United States.
- Nadia, in 1991, relocated to Oklahoma to assist fellow Olympic gold medalist Bart Conner with his gymnastics school, eventually becoming engaged to him after four years.
- In 1994, she initiated the Nadia Comăneci International Invitational, a gymnastics competition catering to various skill levels.
- Comăneci, who obtained U.S. citizenship in 2001 while maintaining her Romanian citizenship, made history in 2012 as the first athlete to speak at the Independence Day Naturalization Ceremony.
- In 2017, a section of the Olympic Park in Montreal was dedicated to her, named "Place Nadia Comaneci" in recognition of her enduring impact.
- She holds various prestigious roles such as honorary president of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, honorary president of the Romanian Olympic Committee, sports ambassador of Romania, and member of the International Gymnastics Federation Foundation.
- Together with her husband Bart Conner, she owns the Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy, the Perfect 10 Production Company, and sports equipment shops, while also serving as editor for International Gymnast Magazine.
- She remains actively involved in the Olympic Games, featuring in commercials, providing commentary, and participating in torch relays.
- Beyond her contributions to gymnastics, she engages in extensive charity work, funding the Nadia Comăneci Children's Clinic in Bucharest and serving as an honorary consul general of Romania to the United States.
- Her involvement with the Special Olympics and participation in Donald Trump's The Celebrity Apprentice highlights her commitment to philanthropy.
- Nadia's impact extends to literature and film, with her 2004 memoir, "Letters to a Young Gymnast," featured in the Art of Mentoring series by Basic Books.
- In 2015, a short documentary directed by Katie Holmes titled "Eternal Princess" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, exploring Comăneci's story.
- The 2016 Arte France documentary, "Nadia Comăneci, la gymnast et le dictateur," delves into her life.
- However, a 1984 biopic TV film titled "Nadia" was produced without her involvement, leading her to express discomfort with its portrayal.
- She has also lent her voice to the animated movie "The Lorax" in 2012.
- Additionally, in 2021, Stejărel Olaru published a Romanian biographical volume titled "Nadia și Securitatea" (Nadia and the Securitate) at Epica Publishing House.
Awards
- 1975 and 1976: The United Press International Athlete of the Year Award
- 1976: Hero of Socialist Labour
- 1976: Associated Press Athlete of the Year
- 1976: BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year
- 1983: The Olympic Order
- 1990: International Women's Sports Hall of Fame
- 1993: International Gymnastics Hall of Fame
- 1998: Marca Leyenda
- 1998: Flo Hyman Award
- 2004: The Olympic Order
- 2016: Great Immigrant Honoree: Carnegie Corporation of New York
- 2017: She was recognized as one of the BBC's 100 Women of 2017.
- 2021: Order of the Star of Romania, Grand Officer
Personal Life
Nadia Comăneci is a married woman. She tied the knot to her husband, Bart Conner in the year 1996 at an Orthodox church in Bucharest, Romania, and hosted a grand reception at the former presidential palace. Professionally, her spouse, Bart is a former Olympic gold medalist. The duo got engaged in the year 1994. She gave birth to their only son, Dylan Paul Conner, in 2006, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The lovely pair own the "International Gymnast" magazine, television production company "Perfect 10 Productions, Inc", and gymnastics supply company "Grips, Etc.". They also run the ‘Bart Conner Gymnastics Academy’. The duo is enjoying their present life a lot.
Net Worth
Nadia Comăneci, a globally acclaimed gymnast, coach, and philanthropist, made a significant mark as a fearless woman who defected to the United States. As of 2023, her estimated net worth stands at $10 million, a testament to her success in various endeavors, including television appearances and endorsements. With an annual salary of around $1 million, she currently engages in television commentary, contributes to gymnastic publications, and travels worldwide to promote the sport. Presently, she is residing in her house in Norman, Oklahoma, with her spouse. She leads a lavish lifestyle as of now.
Body Measurements
At 62 years old, Nadia Comăneci maintains a youthful appearance with a tall standing height of 1.61 m. Weighing 45 kg, she possesses an athletic body type with measurements of 33-24-35 inches. With light brown hair and brown eyes, Comăneci exudes a healthy and vibrant aura, accentuated by her charming smile. Her specific body measurements include a breast/bust size of 33 inches (86 cm), a waist size of 24 inches (63 cm), and hips measuring 35 inches (89 cm). Furthermore, her shoe size is 6.5 US. She has got a healthy body as of now.
