CNN —Bela Karolyi, the legendary and controversial Romanian American gymnastics coach who helped lead Mary Lou Retton, Nadia Comaneci and Kerri Strug to Olympic gold, has died, USA Gymnastics announced.
Still, Bela Karolyi remained unapologetic to the end for the methods he used to blaze a path to sports glory.
And by his senior year, he was coaching the school’s women’s gymnastics team, whose star Marta Enoss would become his wife and professional ally.
“I think he was learning gymnastics with us.”At age 14, Comaneci famously scored the first “perfect 10” in Olympic gymnastics.
“Prior to entering the Bela Karolyi camp, I knew one thing; Bela was my bus pass to the Olympics,” Okino wrote in 2001.
Persons:
CNN — Bela Karolyi, Mary Lou Retton, Nadia Comaneci, Kerri Strug, Karolyi, Marta Karolyi, Bela Karolyi, ”, ” Bela Karolyi didn’t, Marta Enoss, That’s, “, Marta, Bela, ” Comaneci, Comaneci, Nicolae Ceaușescu’s, Karolyi’s, USA's Kerri Strug, Susan Ragan, Dianne Durham, Kim Zmeskal, Strug hobbled, USA’s, Strug, ” Karolyi, Larry Nassar, –, Nassar, Retton, ” Retton, ‘, Betty Okino, ” Okino, “ Karolyi, goddam Bela, Dominique Moceanu, ” Moceanu, Moceanu, Nadia Comăneci, ” CNN’s Lindsey Knight
Organizations:
CNN, USA Gymnastics, Texas, Romanian, Romania College of Physical Education, Eastern Bloc, Guardian, Rocky Mountain News, University of Oklahoma, USA, Olympic, US, Los Angeles Games, Team USA, International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, Orange County Register, –, Team Training, US Olympic Committee, ”
Locations:
Romanian American, Texas, Montreal, Romanian, New York, America, Houston, American, Atlanta, Romania, United States, California