Georgiana Ungureanu


A retired gymnast

Georgiana Ungureanu was born in Ploesti on the 28th of August, 1980. She is better known, however, by her middle name of Corina. Corina started gymnastics at the club of Petrolul Ploesti and was coached by Leana Sima. In 1993, Corina was selected to train for the national team. Her coach accompanied her there.

Corina was a member of the 1997 and 1999 Worlds teams, and was also the Floor Champion at the 1998 European Championships. Not long after returning home from Tianjin China and the 1999 Worlds, Corina announced her retirement. At already 19 years old, she didn't need big reasons to retire, but stated that she was tired of being put down by Octavian Belu. It was no secret that Corina was not one of Belu's favorite gymnasts. Ironically, Corina's home club was the club at which Belu coached at prior to working at Deva.

In December of 1999, Corina posed nude for Romanian Playboy. "My collaboration with Playboy represents a special way of ending my career. I hope my appearance in the magazine will prove everyone there's more to Romanian gymnastics than endless training hours and medal collections", Corina said. Her actions were not looked on well by her former coaches and teammates. Simona Amanar was quoted as saying, " Ungureanu tarnished the image of Romanian gymnastics".

In late 1999, Corina rejoined her teammates at a banquet to present the Worlds team with their prizes. The RGF president, Nicolae Vieru, did not want to give Corina her prizes, since he felt that she had been sufficiently paid by Playboy already, however he was compelled to in the end. At the banquet Maria Olaru was interviewed about her thoughts on Corina's situation and said that "we will get up on the stage. Corina is free to do what she wants, but we can't be seen next to her."

Corina was saddened by the reactions of her former teammates, but did not get to speak to them at the gala. She would have like to have talked to them and her coaches, but they all left after receiving their prizes. In the end, Nicolae Vieru was fired from his position, and Octavian Belu explained in an interview that things with Corina got off on the wrong foot, and he wished they hadn't. This made Corina feel much better.

In early 2000, Corina and her boyfriend were in a car accident. Both sustained serious injuries, but recovered. Now Corina is pursuing her dream to be an aerobics instructor.

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