Bela Karolyi

At the Montreal Olympics in 1976, working with premiere choreographer Geza Pozsar, Karolyi brought 14-year-old Nadia Comaneci into the competition, where she stole the show with an uncanny series of performances. Karolyi's girls made history when they took a silver medal in the team competition for the first time in Romanian history. Overall it was Romania's first Olympic medal since 1960.

Comaneci herself received an unprecedented perfect score of 10 in seven events. She was the first gymnast to receive a perfect 10 ever in the history of the Olympics. Her seven perfect scores, therefore, were extraordinary. She returned home with three gold medals, plus one silver, and one bronze.

Encouraged by the exceptional Olympic showing in Montreal, the Romanian government removed the athletes from Karolyi's care and relocated the national team. They were taken from Onesti to train in Bucharest instead.