Top 126 Quotes & Sayings by Nadia Comaneci
Explore popular quotes and sayings by a Romanian athlete Nadia Comaneci.
Last updated on December 24, 2024.
Nellie Kim, an Olympic champion from the former Soviet Union, got a 10 right after me in '76, but nobody talks about that.
I don't think many people consider in their heart that they have two places that are home.
Of course I used to smile and laugh in 1976, but not when I was competing. Please show me somebody who laughs when they are concentrating; I always smiled.
I always say I don't want to change anything in my life.
Other kids had more talent, but I was the most focused.
I don't run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet.
I never personally complained; everybody else complained for me.
We only had white socks in Romania. But when I used to come back from the States, I used to bring back pink and yellow socks with all kind of designs, and hair clips and elastic bands for the ponytail that had colourful designs.
Of course, I grew up in Communist Romania, but I am happy to say that now our country is democratic, and prospering, since the revolution in 1989.
I worked hard in gymnastics since the time I was six years old until I retired at 23 years of age.
I hoped to win a medal and hoped it would be gold. I knew I was good but didn't know I would be the one to score something that had never been done before.
I know my life story sounds too extraordinary to be true.
My parents were very loving, but disciplinarians.
I always say, 'When the Olympics are happening, you shouldn't be in any other place in the planet - you should be here.'
As an Olympic champion gymnast, I have always stayed involved in my sport.
My marriage to my husband, Bart Conner in 1996 is my proudest personal moment.
I have had a few turning points, the first day I entered a gymnastics school at age 6.
One of the most difficult times in my life was when I escaped from Romania in November of 1989.
I didn't know I wanted to be a gymnast; I was just introduced to the gym. I loved the place because it looked like a hi-tech playground with mats and a lot of things I can hang from.
At the end of the day, I just want to see good gymnastics!
I cannot change anything, so I don't want to think about what I would have done.
People ask me what the definition of perfection, I said it's none: there is no definition of perfection.
It's very hard to get to the top. It's hardest to stay at the top.
I believe that you should gravitate to people who are doing productive and positive things with their lives.
Hard work has made it easy. That is my secret. That is why I win.
Life is not easy for anyone. You have to have ups and downs. You can make mistakes. You learn and try not to make them again. That's pretty much my principle.
That's what everybody remembers. They don't remember how many medals I won in my career. They remember the 10s.
I would love to be in 'Dancing With the Stars.'
I wanted to have a free life.
At some particular time, when I was 14 years old, I've done something that people didn't expect.
I made the cover of 'Sports Illustrated,' 'Newsweek' and 'Time' all in one week, and I didn't even know what that meant.
I'm very good friends with my former coaches. We speak on the phone a lot.
Of course, most people remember that I received the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics competition.
When I look back, I am happy that my mum took me to the gymnastics club. I didn't join gymnastics to become a famous athlete or celebrity; it just happened - I did more than I expected, of course.
If I was 14 or 15 again, I would do the same thing. I've done everything. I think I've accomplished more than I had in mind.
I remember before the Olympics, I was asked, 'What do you think you're going to do in the Olympics?' and I said, 'I'm hoping I'm going to win a medal, and, if possible, it's going to be a gold one.'
People always accused me of not smiling like my rival Olga Korbut, but that was just my personality. When you're balancing on a nine-inch beam, you have to concentrate. But if you look back at the footage, I was always smiling and waving at the crowd after my performances.
My message to the ladies would be, you can do all of the things, but not all of them at the same time.
Everything I do today is because of what I did when I was 14.
I thought I was going to retire at 20, and I was going to be a surgeon.
Every generation comes with a unique athlete, I don't think anybody wants to be the next Nadia; they want to be themselves.
I think that when you are on a four-inch balance beam, you don't care about laughing or smiling or waving to the crowd because you're going to be down in a second.
I remember everything from 1976. I remember I was 14, and I remember my routines.
You should also appreciate the goodness around you, and surround yourself with positive people.
You can't jump from little things to big things. It just takes time and patience.
I live in the moment. I can turn the page and move on.
I like risky stuff.
I ended up in the US for a month or so, before moving to Montreal with some Romanian friends.
It's like someone important is missing from a party because you can't imagine an Olympic gymnastics competition without Romania.
Maybe that's why I like gymnastics - because I like to fly.
We developed a system in Romania that was very successfully continued for a number of years, but I don't know if it was because of some conflict in the organisation or whether there was government interference... but somehow, they have forgotten the importance of raising gymnasts to be ready for every Olympics.
I like to tell young people to work hard for your goals and live in the moment.
I am very highly appreciated in my country, and everybody seems to love me.
I have a classic taste with a twist, because classic never goes away.
Uchimura is the greatest of all time.
Enjoy the journey and try to get better every day. And don't lose the passion and the love for what you do.
We are not coaching on a daily basis because we often travel with our charity and commercial interests.
I was a perfectionist in gymnastics.
At 14, you think you compete, you retire and you get a job. I didn't think gymnastics was a career that was going to change my life.
It was good to be a kid because I did not realise all the things that came with the success. Going to the Games, I was asked what I expected to do.
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