Nadia Comaneci Quotes

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Nadia Comaneci

Profession : Athlete

Birth : November 12, 1961

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.'

Nadia Comaneci

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.

Nadia Comaneci

I thought I was going to retire at 20, and I was going to be a surgeon.

Nadia Comaneci

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.

Nadia Comaneci

At some particular time, when I was 14 years old, I've done something that people didn't expect.

Nadia Comaneci

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.

Nadia Comaneci

People ask me what the definition of perfection, I said it's none: there is no definition of perfection.

Nadia Comaneci

People think you have pressure when you are young. It's the other way round, actually.

Nadia Comaneci

Gymnastics should be popular everywhere; you just need the right person to start the right programme.

Nadia Comaneci

Gymnastics was my way to travelling the world.

Nadia Comaneci

Scoring the first 10 in history was a big deal, but the fact that even an electronic scoreboard could not figure out how to put out a score, it made the story more historic.

Nadia Comaneci

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.

Nadia Comaneci

We used to exchange leotards with gymnasts from other countries. I don't remember who I got my most prized leotard from, but it was one with a lot of stars on it.

Nadia Comaneci

Yes, gymnasts aim for perfection, but I never thought about the score. If that's what's in your mind, it will probably mess you up.

Nadia Comaneci

In Montreal, I kept thinking, 'Pay attention: this is the Olympics! It only happens once every four years!'

Nadia Comaneci

Romania doesn't have a big tradition of gymnastics as a fun activity. We were a little behind in this aspect.

Nadia Comaneci

I like seeing advanced acrobatics, but I also like to see more than tumbling. It's important to combine the artistry of gymnastics with the tough skills. It's called artistic gymnastics. We should stand by the name.

Nadia Comaneci

What makes me happy is the appreciation of people around me.

Nadia Comaneci

I am very highly appreciated in my country, and everybody seems to love me.

Nadia Comaneci

I like America. I don't want to hurt America.

Nadia Comaneci