Nadia Comaneci - Floor Exercise - 1976 American Cup
Credit: Getty Images Credit: David Ramos/Getty Images
However, Olympic icon and three-time gold medalist Nadia Comaneci says these changes have only served to benefit gymnastics.
I used to do some tough competitions on the wooden beam, the floor was a lot harder without springs, the uneven beams were awkward, Nadia tells Wetpaint of her time representing Romania in both the 1976 and 1980 games.
Now 54 years old, the former gymnast is working with Tide PODS in Brazil currently, helping to celebrate the"Evolution of Power" video, showing the evolution of the sport over the last 40 years since she made history as the first gymnast to be awarded a perfect score of 10.
Speaking of the perfect 10, the Olympian admits one of the changes shedoesntlike is how the committee took away the 10 with the introduction of open scoring, where gymnasts can get up to 15 and more (though you can still get a 10 in execution).
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I think they should bring that back, she states. In a way that people are [still] able to see what score the gymnasts got in execution.
Regardless, Nadia is enjoying watching the new generation of gymnasts at these games especially close friend and fellow Romanian Catalina Ponor and USAs own Simone Biles.
Credit: Tom Pennington/Getty ImagesShe explains, At the end of the day, I just want to see good gymnastics! Ive also been watching Simone for so long and Im excited shes finally here and ready to compete.
If a Romanian rooting for U.S. gymnasts sounds strange, dont forgether own former coaches, Bla and Mrtha Karolyi, have served as the head coaches and now national team coordinators for USA Gymnastics for the last 20-plus years.
Credit: Bob Levey/Getty Images for HiltonI always considered them my second parents, she gushes. I was often with them more often than my own parents! They were great, I considered them my second family and learned a tremendous amount from them.
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And it sounds like the Fab Five gals may have a similar relationship with the Karolyis these days, considering Nadia says their style of coaching is almost exactly the same as it was when she was working with them as a teen.
Credit: Tony Duffy/ALLSPORTShe reveals with a laugh, Even the warmup I used to do 40 years ago, theyre still doing today!
Source: http://www.wetpaint.com/olympics-2016-fab-five-gymnasts-nadia-comaneci-1513696/
