Wow, yes. I watched Nadia with my parents. My mom was a bit weirded out because Nadia seemed so young and vulnerable--and even a little robotic. She preferred Nellie Kim and Ludmila Tourischeva because they seemed more mature and elegant.
I was enchanted with Nadia at the time, but in retrospect, I have to agree with my mom. When I rewatch the '76 Olympics now, I find Nadia almost eerie. Maybe it's everything I've learned about Romanian gymnastics (and the sport in general) over the years. I find it nearly impossible to watch any of the Romanian teams from '77-'81 because the athletes look so malnourished and traumatized.
On a happier note, aren't we also coming up on the 40th anniversary of the LA Olympics? Of course, I very disappointed about the Soviet-led boycott because my favorites were Yurchenko and Mostepanova. I also adored Boriana Stoyanova--I thought she was the coolest gymnast at '83 Worlds. But I was pleased that the Romanians participated, and I'll go to my grave believing that Szabo should have won the AA.
If I had to choose a favorite athlete from the '84 Games, though, it would be Kathy Johnson. Just a beautiful gymnast and an amazing human being. I'd love to say more, but I have to get my daughter from camp. ;-)
