The Hungarian, who passed away last Friday, led Comaneci and other athletes to Olympic gold together with his wife; the cause of death was not confirmed
LOS ANGELES – The famous and controversial Olympic gymnastics coach Bela Karoliwho guided Nadia Comaneci to the first “perfect 10” of this sport, died on Friday the 16th at the age of 82, according to a statement released on Saturday the 18th by the United States Gymnastics Federation (USA Gymnastics). he was not informed of the death.
The Romanian-born Hungarian coached Nadia to gold at the 1976 Montreal Olympics and the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
After this period, he defected with his wife Marta, also a coach, to the United States in 1981, where he coached American Mary Lou Retton who won gold at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984.
“Huge impact and influence on my life. Rest in peace Bela Karolyi,” Comaneci wrote on his Instagram account, alongside a black-and-white photo of them together as young men.
“Almost 50 years ago, he guided me to my historic first Perfect 10 at the Olympics… and changed my life forever,” said Nadia United States today about Karolyi.
Known for his rigorous training, Karolyi was a controversial coach who, along with his wife, coached the United States team and ran a training facility in Texas.
The Karolyi pair were key players in the transformation of US gymnastics teams, making them powerful and capable of dominating the sport’s biggest events.
The couple’s training center hosted the United States women’s national team training in 2001, with Marta Karolyi as the women’s national team coordinator.
USA Gymnastics stopped using the facility in 2018 following the abuse scandal involving former team doctor Larry Nassar.
Dominique Moceanu, who won Olympic gold in Atlanta in 1996 with ‘Team USA’ coached by Karolyi, said there are two sides to the coach.
“Bela Karolyi was a man whose influence on my life and on the sport of elite gymnastics is unquestionably significant. He was a complex individual, embodying a mix of strengths and flaws that left a lasting impact on those around him “he wrote in X.
Bela Karolyi was a man whose influence on my life and the sport of elite gymnastics is undeniably significant. He was a complex individual, embodying a mix of strengths and flaws that left a lasting impact on those around him.
Anyone who has followed my story knows that my…
— Dominique Moceanu (@Dmoceanu) November 17, 2024
“His harsh words and critical attitude often weighed on me. Although our relationship was marked by difficulties, some of those moments of adversity helped me forge and define my path.”
“As we say goodbye to Bela, I choose to send loving thoughts to her family and loved ones (…) May she rest in peace.”
Karolyi was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997 and, together with Marta, as part of the coaching duo in 2000. /AFP
Source: Terra
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