You’ve probably heard about the Romanian Olympian Nadia Comăneci. Back in 1976, she took part in the Olympics in Montreal, Quebec, Canada and her record-breaking performance turned her into a household name. However, many people do not really know her story – how she made it to the Olympic Games and escaped from Romania several years after. Keep reading to find out what happened.
The Early Days
Nadia Elena Comăneci was born on November 12th, 1961 in Onesti, Romania to Gheorghe and Ștefania Comăneci. Both Romanian Orthodox, the couple were absolutely thrilled to welcome their first child into the world. Soon after, they welcomed their second child, a son.
The Early Days
Hope For Nadia
Nadia is not an uncommon name in her country, but her parents’ reason for giving her that name was actually more specific. When Nadia’s mom was still pregnant, she and Nadia’s dad were watching a film which truly inspired the couple. The main character’s name was “Nadya”, meaning “hope”. They had no clue just how relevant the name would be.
Hope For Nadia