New Coach for Nadia Comaneci

New Coach for Nadia Comaneci

Neue Zeit, 20 January 1978

The three-time Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci no longer works with the successful trainer Bela Karolyi in the Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej gymnastics school, but will compete this year for Dinamo Bucharest, just like her internationally successful teammate Teodora Ungureanu. This news prompted many sports fans in Romania to ask questions, to which Federation coach Maria Simionescu gave a number of answers in a recent press conference.

She pointed to the large number of capable gymnasts who have been trained in the Gheorghe Gheorghiu Dej gymnastics school in recent years. That requires more shoulders than before to distribute the coaching tasks. That is why three “core groups” were formed for the national team under the direction of three coaching collectives. The first group that trains in Bucharest consists of Nadia Comaneci, Teodora Ungureanu along with relatively unknown girls who are, however, predicted to have a great future. They are trained by the trio Iosif Hidi, Anastasia Albu and Gheorghe Condivici. The first two are lecturers at the Bucharest Sports University and have already worked as Federation or Olympic trainers for several years. Condovici has trained the men’s team from Dinamo Bucharest (Dan Grecu, among others). In view of the increasing difficulties in women’s gymnastics, one expects a lot from him in terms of his experience in acrobatic matters.

In the second group, which works under the direction of the coaching couple Marta and Bela Karolyi, there are practically all of the other main contenders for a place in the national team, apart from the two “top stars” who have migrated to Bucharest: Christina Itu, Marilena Neacsu, Emilia Eberle and Gabi Gheorghiu. The third training group, led by the Dobre couple, is also active in the same gymnastics school. Among the girls in this group, Dumitrita Turner has the best chance of getting onto the world championships team.

Maria Simionescu finally pointed out that all gymnasts – from the Olympic champion to the as yet nameless 12-year-old girls – are seriously preparing for the tasks of the year. Teodora Ungureanu, who is recovering from hepatitis, has also started training again. Nadia Comaneci wants to win the world championships in Strasbourg. At the end of October this year, it will become clear how successful the change of coaches has been.