Back in 1976, when she earned the first perfect 10 in the gymnastics competition at the Montreal Olympic Games, sport was the only light for Romanians, former great gymnast Nadia Comaneci said on Thursday at the National Bank of Romania, as she attended the launch of three commemorative coins dedicated to that achievement.

'To be honest, it doesn't feel like 50 years have passed. It is a historic moment for Romanian sport and a motivation and a joy, because that 10 was achieved at a time when sport was the only light for Romanians. It was the greatest joy, and I hope everyone sees that it is possible - with work, with patience, with good people around you - to fulfill your dream of flying,' Comaneci said.

She added that the competition number she wore at the Montreal Olympics - 73 - felt like destiny. 'I was just talking with Teodora Ungureanu about our numbers in Montreal. Mine was 73, hers was 79, and my husband Bart Conner had 75. For me, that number was destiny. Starting from 73, I had seven perfect 10s, three gold medals, 7+3 equals ten, 7×3 equals 21 - that is the 21st edition of the Olympic Games, in Montreal. So it was destiny.'

Comaneci said that if she were to meet the child she once was, she would not know what advice to give her. 'I think now little Nadia would give me advice, because I realize that child was trying to find a light in a tunnel, an excellence, a limit to reach, and she was always searching for it. Without realizing it, that child found her path. I certainly wouldn't know what to tell that child now, because I couldn't suggest anything better than what that girl already did.'

She also referred to the Comaneci element on the uneven bars. 'I know the Comaneci element, from the high bar, has a higher difficulty today. I know only two or three gymnasts who have tried to do it. It is very risky, and even if you do it 1,000 or 2,000 times, you can still get it wrong.'

Asked about the current state of Romanian gymnastics, Comaneci had a message for everyone involved in the sport. 'When I started gymnastics at six, it took me eight years to be able to compete at the Olympic Games. You don't learn gymnastics overnight. We need to replant, to find opportunities for children to do sport. I am very happy to announce the opening in July of the 'Nadia Comaneci' Gym. It's fantastic, because so many children want to join. I think it is important for these children to be involved in sport. When I started, I didn't dream of performance. Performance comes, but sport is an extremely important tool, especially today, for physical and mental health, which everyone talks about.'

Comaneci said she is delighted that Izvor Park is expected to bear her name and host a statue of her. 'It's fantastic to have a statue in Izvor Park, because I grew up there, I live there, I played and rode my bike in that park. It's deeply moving to see that statue there. It will depict the floor routine ending, the floor photograph.'

The National Bank of Romania released on Thursday a gold, a silver and a copper-plated tombac coin dedicated to the anniversary of the first perfect 10 in Olympic history in women's artistic gymnastics.

Sale prices are 7,800 RON for the gold coin, 1,000 RON for the silver coin and 280 RON for the copper-plated tombac coin, each including VAT, the presentation brochure and the certificate of authenticity. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Adrian Tone; EN - writing by: Simona Klodnischi)