NADIA AND ME !

NADIA AND ME !

Watching the women’s gymnastics during the Olympics brought back many fond memories of Nadia Comaneci and the night she and the Romanian team practiced in my gym at the Louise Duffy Elementary School in West Hartford CT. They were preparing for an exhibition performance at the Hartford CT Civic Center. Wikipedia has a photo of Nadia practicing her beam routine in the Duffy gym the night before the performance.

Watching a youthful Nadia practice her routines flawlessly with perfect form and grace, left one in awe of her raw talent. Even at that young age, her intensity and concentration were signs of a true champion and were what led her to the “perfect ten” in the 1976 Olympics. It was indeed an exciting evening for the young, aspiring gymnasts from Duffy School who were invited to observe the practice session. I am fortunate to have Nadia’s autograph in my guest book along with several wonderful pictures, and to have observed a “budding star” in action long before she was famous.

Today, I saw Nadia Comaneci being interviewed on TV where she discussed her past experiences as an Olympic gymnast, the changes in the sport today, and the perseverance needed to compete successfully at this level.