MIG: Team Romania

   There are many good gymnasts on Team Romania,  I decided to do this article on new talent Larisa Iordache. I was going to do an article on Catalina, but I had done so many already. We all know that Ioradace is a rising talent in the Romanian Ranks. She was an amazing gymnast, and was the best Romanian Gymnast that she had in awhile. She is a solid all arounder, who unlike any Romanian Gymnast since Nadia Comeneci, has actually gotten close to medals. Sure, she hasn't been anywhere near gold potential, but she is getting there. She can be a great gymnast, if she keeps training her weakest events which is bars. She is solid on all four events. She is definitely an interesting gymnast that can give Romania Pride. She can actually medal at Worlds or the Olympic Games if she tries hard enough.  She is a great Romanian Talent, and is the best shot that Romania has, thusly, the most important gymnast on team Romania.

Catalina Ponor: Her Events

  With Romania's Catalina Ponor being retired, I thought it would be a nice treat if I did a Her Events segment on this Romanian Great.


Vault: This was never Cata's best event, but what she does, she does cleanly, as we saw in 2012, Catalina did the 1 1/2 twist, not the hardest vault, but that vault among others gave them an edge over China, giving them the team bronze, and allowing them to medal in team finals 10 years in a row.

Bars: Catalina hasn't competed on this event since 2004, she does not do amazingly on this event, Romania never relies on her for this event, instead, she is more of a beam-worker or a floor exercise specialist


Beam: Catalina truly shines on this event, having tremendous difficulty on this event. She won the 2004 gold, beating the All-Around champion Carly Patterson. She was amazing. She stuck every trick, and stuck her dismount, which meant that she was Olympic Champion. Unfortunately, Catalina did not get to defend her title in 2008, making a comeback, or in 2012, having issues on beam, tying for third, with USA's Alexandra Raisman, but on behalf of tie breaking, Aly clenched the bronze, leaving Catalina with nothing


Floor: Once again, Catalina is dominant on this event. Once again, winning gold in 2004, but then, in 2012, Aly Raisman beat her on floor, with dynamic routine.

Remembering the Greats: Nadia Comeneci

     Nadia Comeneci one of the few gymnasts who was successful in redefining the sport of gymnastics. She was the first gymnast who had the perfect mix of artistry, grace, lean, long lines, and power. She was the greatest gymnast in Romanian History, she was the first, and one of the only Romanian Gymnasts to win the gold medal, in the individual all-around, the world was devastated when Nadia did her last beam routine, sticking every landing and making it worth it. My friend, Katsya, said that she cried when she watched Nadia stick her last landing. Nadia was beautiful, artistic, and a huge figure in this sport. She came in as a little girl, coached by legendary Bela Karoyli, she competed at Romanian Nationals, and amazed the audience when she delivered a stellar floor routine, and the judges that tried to kick her out 90 seconds before, never wanted her to leave. After Nationals, even though she was too young to make it, she was too young. But when Nadia saluted to the judges, the judges applauded, and Bela was swarmed with offers to take his little 13 year old to Worlds and beyond, to the Olympics, to fame. Nadia was amazed, how famous she was after 90 seconds.

Olympic Games Gold 1976 Montréal All-Around Gold 1976 Montréal Uneven Bars Gold 1976 Montréal Balance Beam Gold 1980 Moscow Balance Beam Gold 1980 Moscow Floor Silver 1976 Montréal Team Silver 1980 Moscow Team Silver 1980 Moscow All-Around Bronze 1976 Montréal Floor World Championships Gold 1978 Strasbourg Balance Beam Gold 1979 Ft. Worth Team Silver 1978 Strasbourg Team Silver 1978 Strasbourg Vault European Championships Gold 1975 Skien All-Around Gold 1975 Skien Uneven Bars Gold 1975 Skien Balance Beam Gold 1975 Skien Vault Gold 1977 Prague All-Around Gold 1977 Prague Uneven Bars Gold 1979 Copenhagen All-Around Gold 1979 Copenhagen Vault Gold 1979 Copenhagen Floor Silver 1975 Skien Floor Silver 1977 Prague Vault Bronze 1979 Copenhagen Balance Beam Summer Universiade Gold 1981 Bucharest Team Gold 1981 Bucharest All-Around Gold 1981 Bucharest Uneven Bars Gold 1981 Bucharest Vault Gold 1981 Bucharest Floor

  We were amazed. Romania, even the world was amazed. Nadia then went on for bigger, better things, she won everything she entered. From Romanian Nationals to the Olympics. She won a lot, more than I can count, but luckily, not more than Wikipedia can count, here is a table of what Nadia wo

 Lets give a hand to Wikipedia, thanks Wikipedia, for spending time and making this table


    As you see, there a lot more gold than there are silver or bronze, that's just good old Nadia, gold defines her.

Ponor's Last Olympic Games: Devastating

    Catalina Ponor..... She has a glorious 2004 Olympics, pushing her team to the gold medal, winning the floor and beam gold in 2004. She was dominant, but she retired for a little bit, missing out in 2008. But she did come  back for 2012. But, she had some problems in qualifying, including a ton of balance checks on balance beam, bailing out a tumbling pass on floor. She also had a HUGE beyond HUGE balance check on beam on the finals, losing the bronze to Aly, who had a much better performance. Getting the bronze on D value above Cat. And on floor, it was obvious that Aly had the better routine, sticking every landing, and getting a massive (for floor at least) 15.600. Catalina followed that with a 15.200 floor routine. Giving Aly a 5/10 lead. So, Catalina lost everything.

1. She lost the team final gold medal to the Americans
2. She lost any hope of a beam medal to Aly Raisman
3. She lost her floor gold medal to Aly Raisman.



       I wish Catalina was still in the sport, she could have redeemed herself in Rio.

Team China vs. Team Romania

So, as we all know, in 2012, team Romania beat China for team bronze. And the Chinese gymnasts and coaches were none to happy. They had won gold in Beijing, a home game, but in London, they were not as lucky. The Chinese wanted more than anything to defend the gold, but when that chance slipped out of their grasp, they figured: Why not silver? But then Russia took their spot. So their only hope for medal, was bronze. But then, at a surprising last two rotations, Romania snatched the medal, because floor and vault were two of their best events, but China was not good at vault or floor exercise, so, thats how the Romanians took the bronze. To place fourth in gymnastics, is devastating. Just out of the medals. And the Chinese had to deal with it, but in Brazil, I expect them to come out, and be in contention for medals. Also, I expect the Romanians to defend their medal titles, and try to make it 11 medals straight. So, let the war between Team China and Team Romania Begin!

Team Romania: A Steady Team.

Romania has one of the strongest women's gymnastics team in the world, this is evident for three reasons: They have been in the medals at the past ten Olympic Games, which, by itself, is amazing. In 2000 and 2004, they won the team all-around! Wow! But, there has been a drought for gold since then, but still, getting gold twice is not bad. And they have great athletes, Simona Amanar (Notice the last name? Thats right, this is the girl who first did the Amanar), Catalina Ponor, and most importantly, Nadia Comeneci, all-around champ. They bred some great gymnasts, and are in the process of breeding more. I am excited to see the up-and-coming seniors who are going to represent Romania at Worlds, International, and Olympic Meets. The only thing I would recommend is that they breed some bar workers, because Romania needs them if they want to get silver, or even gold. But, Olympic Bronze, not to shabby. And the greatest thing about their bronze in 2012? They beat 2008 Team Champions, Team China. To beat China is an amazing thing, because, the Chinese have grace and elegance, and are really good at bars and beam. But, they did beat them, and I hope to see Romania beat China at Worlds, and hopefully, the Olympic Games!

Team Romania: Soaring

Even though Romania isn't the best team in the World, they are in the top four. Romania trains great beam workers, which is one of the hardest apparatuses for the women. Even though their bar routines aren't that great, aren't that highly difficult,  they can bring in great scores on every other event. 2004 was truly Romania's golden Olympics, they won every event except the All-Around,  that was their year but ever since then, the Romanians have struggled to hold onto their  medals. In 2008, only 1/2 of a point separated them and the Russians, and in 2012, they made it out only by 1/10 of a point. As much as we LOVE to recall that moment, that golden moment for the Romanians, Athens was eight years ago, going on ten. Romania's time has passed, I hope to see them on the podium for the 11th time in Rio. Thats right, in London..... It was their 10th in the row on the podium.