Former gymnastics great Nadia Comaneci will attend this year's Sports Festival 2026 on June 14 at BTarena, taking part in a masterclass organised in partnership with the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, according to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday.

'Nadia Comaneci is the special guest of the Sports Festival 2026 edition. The champion who changed the history of sport by achieving the first perfect 10 at the Olympic Games will hold a masterclass on Sunday, June 14, at BTarena. The event is organised by Sports Festival in partnership with the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, in a symbolic year marking 50 years since the historic achievement at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Her presence at Sports Festival 2026 marks one of the highlights of this year's edition and comes shortly after another major international recognition: she recently received the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award at the Laureus World Sports Awards, reaffirming her place among the world's sporting elite.
Widely regarded as one of the most important figures in the history of sport, Nadia returns to the attention of the Romanian public in an anniversary context of special significance, half a century after the moment that forever redefined performance in gymnastics,' the organisers' press release reads.

The former champion promised those attending at BTarena an open and honest dialogue, intended as a source of inspiration.

'Sometimes it takes just a few seconds to change a life. Seventeen seconds. That is how long the routine that changed my life and the history of world gymnastics lasted. But behind those 17 seconds were millions of seconds of training. For me, sport meant more than the first 10, more than the medals I won. It was about discipline, courage and the desire to become better every day. I look forward to seeing you at the Sports Festival masterclass, where I will share many more moments, lessons and insights from sport and my personal experience, which can be applied in any field. It will be a sincere meeting, an open dialogue and, I hope, a source of inspiration and motivation for all those who believe in the power of dreams built through hard work and passion,' said Nadia Comaneci.

The masterclass scheduled in Cluj-Napoca will give the public the opportunity to meet directly the athlete who became a landmark in international gymnastics. The event will focus on themes such as discipline, the pressure of major competitions, balance, motivation and the journey behind a career built at the highest level.

'For us, this masterclass is more than just a special event in the Sports Festival 2026 programme. It is a rare opportunity to listen to Nadia Comaneci beyond the iconic image known worldwide, to discover the story behind the performance - the discipline, the pressure, the choices and the less visible moments that shaped the path of a great champion. We believe the public will have a truly valuable, sincere and memorable encounter,' said Mirel Alexa, Executive Director of Sports Festival.

Organised by Sports Festival in partnership with the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, the event is part of a series of special moments dedicated to 2026, a year celebrating the legacy left by Nadia Comaneci to world sport. In 1976, in Montreal, her performance became one of the most iconic milestones in the history of the Olympic Games and turned her name into a symbol of excellence.

'For Romania and for the entire world, the moment at the 1976 Summer Olympics remains a living lesson in what it means to achieve perfection. Not yet 15, Nadia Comaneci achieved not only the first 10 in Olympic gymnastics history, but the impossible, offering humanity pure emotion, perfection in sport and a benchmark that continues to inspire generations of children. In those moments, we all understood that excellence is not an abstract ideal, but a reality built through passion, discipline and courage. Nadia embodied Olympic values in their most authentic form: passion, fair play, national pride, resilience and the extraordinary power to inspire through achievement. It is our duty to carry forward this legacy and to show young people that, through hard work, confidence, courage and ambition, they can reach their goals,' said the President of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Mihai Covaliu.

The masterclass will take place on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at BTarena.

On July 10, 2025, President Nicusor Dan signed the decree promulgating the law designating 2026 as the 'Year of Nadia Comaneci', marking 50 years since the gymnast's legendary performances at the 1976 Summer Olympics, when the first perfect 10 in world gymnastics was awarded. A series of events will be organised throughout 2026 as part of this project, coordinated by the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Adrian Tone; EN - writing by: Cristina Zaharia)