Letters to a Young Gymnast by Nadia Comaneci

Sometimes in my dream, fear paralyzes me, and I cannot reach for the girls' hands. promises, opportunities, desperation, love, angry words, delight, Romania, deception, rag dolls, fairy dust, clarity, applause, my grandmother's smile, tears, fear, red ribbons, barbed wire, practices, curses, surprises, my mother's touch, elation, America, music, the scent of vanilla, refusal, a first kiss, dances, whispers, apple trees, my brother's laugh, the scrape of chalk against my palms, airplanes, sunsets, disappointment, skin and wind and waves, rivals, survival, upheaval, broken words, magic, the feel of my father's hugs, chocolate, passports, fishing trips, funerals, birthdays, proposals. They are empty, and yet, they hold everything. They look like stained glass-delicate, fragile, and breathtaking. The girls drift overhead I am still shrouded by the void, but sapphire, ruby, and amber-colored butterflies with transparent wings dart at the edge of vision. I see tiny bursts of color flutter out of the darkness.

The terror tastes like salt and blood.Īnd then the dream shifts. I try to call out for help, but the scream catches in my throat. I know that the blackness will swallow me whole, but my bones are leaden and I cannot move from my bed. All I can hear is the roar of a vast ocean. From how to live after you've realized your dream, to the necessity of 'a spirit forged with mettle,' Nadia's thoughts on athleticism and sacrifice are eye-opening and surprisingly challenging.The girls hover closer, and their mouths open into cavernous, yawning black holes.

This collection of Nadia's memories, anecdotes, and advice grants unique insights into the mind of a top competitor. With inspiring and dramatic stories from her own experience, she tells us how the young girl that Bela Karolyi discovered in a Romanian elementary school found the inner strength to become a world-class athlete at such a young age. In Letters to a Young Gymnast, Nadia shows what it takes to achieve athletic perfection and become the best. Even today, almost thirty years after her greatest triumphs, you need only mention the name 'Nadia' and gymnastics fans know instantly whom you are talking about. With grit and determination, Nadia Comaneci ushered in a new era for women's sports, one where young girls could vault into the arena of superstardom. Olga Korbut came before her, and many other medalists would follow, but none has ever been as dominant in winning the hearts of millions around the world. If there were such a thing as an 'elder' stateswoman in women's gymnastics today, Nadia Comaneci would win that title as readily as she once won gold medals.

Letters to a Young Gymnast by Nadia Comaneci