A New Star Pupil
When Bela Karolyi spotted Nadia in the crowd, her talent was obvious. Even though she had no professional training, she was executing perfect cartwheels. It was at that point he knew he was destined to be her coach. However, it was a little awkward for him, as before he could introduce himself, he was interrupted by the school bell. The students all rushed back to class.
Nadia Comaneci Competing At The 1975 International Gymnastics Tournament. Photo by ANL/Shutterstock
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Karolyi later said it was “ an important moment in my life .” Since he was determined to not let Nadia get away, he decided to enter every classroom. Once inside, he asked every student to raise their hands if they liked gymnastics. Sure enough, in one of the rooms, both Nadia and her close friend immediately raised their hands.