CSM Onesti, the club where legendary gymnast Nadia Comaneci trained, is turning 2026 into a relaunch project for Romanian gymnastics, relying on the city's tradition and on modernizing sports infrastructure, director Ingrid Istrate said in an interview with AGERPRES.

Events dedicated to 'Nadia Year' include a series of sports activities that will conclude on November 12, 2026, on the champion's birthday, when Onesti will host the Romanian Cup in partnership with the Romanian Gymnastics Federation.

CSM Onesti - also in the spotlight as a European City of Sport - aims to attract new generations of gymnasts despite financial difficulties and the exodus of coaches.

The club president said the symbolic legacy of Nadia Comaneci and the other great champions trained in Onesti remains the main source of motivation for the girls in the gym. At the same time, the club urgently needs financial support and infrastructure upgrades.

Istrate noted that the future of gymnastics is also threatened by the sharp decline in the national talent pool.

In her view, Nadia Comaneci remains the most important ambassador of Onesti, giving her hometown international visibility and credibility.

The ultimate goal of the 'Nadia Year', she added, is for Onesti to become an active nursery of champions again, not only a historic landmark.

AGERPRES: How does the Onesti club feel the responsibility of being the place where the journey to the first perfect 10 in Olympic gymnastics began?
Ingrid Istrate: For us, it is not only a source of pride but a huge responsibility. Onesti is not just another town in world gymnastics history; it is the place where the perception of perfection in sport changed forever. Nadia's exceptional performance has shaped Romania's and Onesti's image worldwide and highlighted the generations of coaches who built excellence. This legacy obliges us to maintain high standards, invest in children and pass on a culture of performance. In Onesti, gymnastics is part of our identity.

AGERPRES: What special activities and projects is the club organising in 2026 to mark 'Nadia Year'?
Ingrid Istrate: 2026 is symbolic for us, and we want this anniversary to become a community and national project. We are preparing the 'Parade of Champions' Gala, national and international competitions, children's events, exhibitions, educational activities and projects meant to bring Onesti back to the centre of European gymnastics - including the Invictus International Cup in Rowing - Perfect 10, the Gym For All International Festival, and many other events included in the ACES calendar, as Onesti is also a European City of Sport this year. The closing event of Nadia Comaneci's Year will also take place in Onesti, on Nadia's birthday, with the Romanian Cup organised in partnership with the Romanian Gymnastics Federation. In parallel, we are developing the 'Nadia Year' concept as a relaunch of Onesti sport for future generations, not just a celebration of a historic achievement.

AGERPRES: Can 'Nadia Year' be a real motivation for the girls entering the gym today?
Ingrid Istrate: Absolutely. Children need real role models, and Nadia Comaneci remains the strongest symbol of discipline, courage and performance achieved through work and talent. For a girl entering the Onesti gym today, stepping into the place where Nadia's legend began can be an extraordinary source of inspiration. But motivation also comes from what we build for them now. And let's not forget that Onesti has produced many other great gymnasts: Dumitrita Turner, Cristina Grigoras, Ionela Loaies, Cristina Bontas, Andreea Isarescu, Diana Chelaru, Andreea Acatrinei, Lacramioara Filip, Lavinia Agache, Ana Maria Bican, Iuliana Chindea, Dana Craciun, Silvia Zarzu, Teodora Ungureanu, Anca Grigoras, Georgeta Gabor, Mariana Constantin and Gabriela Trusca.

AGERPRES: How does Nadia Comaneci's personality and presence continue to support gymnastics in Onesti today?
Ingrid Istrate: Nadia remains Onesti's and Romania's most important ambassador. Through her image, support and constant connection to her hometown, she brings credibility, visibility and inspiration. Her presence has extraordinary power - it connects people, creates emotion and brings the world's attention back to Onesti. It is extremely important to us that, after so many years, she has never forgotten her roots.

AGERPRES: What is the most important lesson from the golden age of gymnastics that Onesti still preserves today?
Ingrid Istrate: That true performance is not built overnight. The golden age showed us that great results come when there is discipline, continuity, patience and people fully dedicated to this sport. Today we may have new generations and new challenges, but the fundamental values remain the same: work, seriousness and passion.

AGERPRES: How do you see the future of Romanian gymnastics over the next 10 years in terms of infrastructure and the talent pool?
Ingrid Istrate: The future depends heavily on the investments we make now. Romania still has talent, but the selection base has shrunk dramatically. Children and families are increasingly reluctant to commit to the demands of high-performance sport, and sports infrastructure urgently needs modernisation. If we manage to invest in training halls, proper conditions for children and coach development, Romanian gymnastics can return to the world elite. But this requires long-term strategy, not short-term fixes.

AGERPRES: What strategic changes are needed for Onesti to become a 'factory' of champions again?
Ingrid Istrate: First, we must rebuild the selection and continuous-training system. We need partnerships with schools, early identification of talented children and support for families who choose performance sport. We also need investment in coaches, modern training conditions and stability. Performance cannot exist without continuity and respect for the people who work in the gym every day.

AGERPRES: What are the main elements you rely on to grow a new generation of champions in Onesti?
Ingrid Istrate: We rely on tradition, the experience of our coaches and education through sport. We try to build character, not just athletes. Gymnastics means discipline, emotional balance, responsibility and resilience. At the same time, we must adapt training methods to new generations and today's realities. Children now need emotional support as much as performance.

AGERPRES: What are the biggest financial or logistical obstacles you face as director of CSM Onesti?
Ingrid Istrate: The main issues remain infrastructure - which I truly hope will be resolved this year - and insufficient funding. High-performance sport requires constant investment: equipment, recovery, training camps, competitions and modern training conditions, along with partnership and a shared vision with the Romanian Gymnastics Federation. It is very difficult to maintain a high-performing system when resources are limited and needs keep growing.

AGERPRES: How do you attract and retain coaches, and how difficult is talent selection today?
Ingrid Istrate: It is very difficult, given the exodus of specialists to countries offering far better financial and professional conditions. We try to keep coaches through stability, respect and involvement in the club's projects. As for selection, the competition with the digital world is huge. Children are drawn to technology and sedentary habits, and parents are more hesitant about the rigors of performance sport. This is why we must promote the benefits of sport and bring physical activity back into children's lives.

AGERPRES: How has parents' mentality changed regarding the demands of high-performance sport?
Ingrid Istrate: Parents today are more protective and more attentive to their children's emotional balance - which is a good thing. In the past, there was greater acceptance of total sacrifice for performance. Today we must find a balance between performance and healthy development. Modern sport cannot rely only on pressure; it also needs communication and support.

AGERPRES: What do you want Onesti to be from a sporting perspective - a historic destination or a nursery for the future?
Ingrid Istrate: I want it to be both, and I believe it can. Onesti must honor its extraordinary past but not live only in memories. We have a duty to turn this legacy into a foundation for the future. We don't want a museum of performance - we want to build champions again.

AGERPRES: Returning to Nadia, how would you best describe her in three words?
Ingrid Istrate: Perfection. Courage. Eternity.

AGERPRES: What do you most want 'Nadia Year' to leave behind?
Ingrid Istrate: I want 'Nadia Year' to leave more than events and ceremonies. I want it to leave infrastructure, projects for children, hope and the rebirth of gymnastics in Onesti. My greatest wish is that, years from now, we can say 2026 was the moment when Onesti began to believe again in the power of sport and in its future.

On July 10, 2025, President Nicusor Dan signed the decree promulgating the law designating 2026 as the 'Nadia Comaneci Year', marking 50 years since the Romanian gymnast's legendary performances at the 1976 Summer Olympic Games in Montreal, where she earned the first perfect 10 in world gymnastics. Throughout 2026, a series of events coordinated by the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee will be held under this designation. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Adrian Tone; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)