#NadiaYear/ Nadia Comaneci kicks off Olympic Day National Cross
Retired legendary gymnast Nadia Comaneci on Saturday kicked off the Olympic Day National Cross, a competition organised by the Romanian Olympic Committee, through the Romanian Olympic Academy, as part of the Nadia Comaneci Year events, near the Arch of Triumph in Bucharest.
The 39th edition of this event was attended by several thousand runners, in several age categories.
Comaneci kicked off the competition for runners aged 20 years and up, many of whom chose to delay their start in order to shake hands with the great champion.
At the end of the competition, Comaneci signed autographs and took pictures with the participants for over an hour.
'We live the Olympic day through movement and sport. I'm very happy to be here, especially since this is the Nadia Comaneci Year, and I'm glad to see so much enthusiasm from children and parents to do sports, to be active, to find a limit and to taste the beauty of sports. They chanted my name and told me that they love me, and I am very happy because they are children whose parents were not even born when I competed. This legacy goes on to those who are now active and I hope they understand that they don't have to be born in a certain place on the planet to be the best at what they do,' said Comaneci at the end of the race.
Watching the event organised by COSR through the Romanian Olympic Academy was Chairman of the Romanian Olympic Committee Mihai Covaliu, COSR Secretary General George Boroi, and former Olympic champions such as Simona Tabara Amanar, Ana-Maria Branza, Marius Urzica, Alina Dumitru and Valeria Racila van Groningen.
The award ceremony for the eight races by age categories took place on the synthetic field at the Arcul de Triumf National Sports Compound in Bucharest.
All registered runners received T-shirts emblazoned with Olympic circles and the message 'Olympic Day', medals and participation diplomas.
The Olympic Day National Cross is part of the Nadia Year project, organised on the 50th anniversary of the first perfect Olympic 10 in the history of world gymnastics. AGERPRES (RO - editing by Adrian Tone; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)
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