Quotes

"We had some downtime in the summer, so we were playing around to music, trying to do something weird, something different. I was good at straddle jumps, and I did one with a (full) turn, and our choreographer Maria Cosma said, 'Do it again!' So I did, and we put it in my routine."

"I have two screws in my knee, and I've changed so much since I was a gymnast."
-Celestina Popa

"I was excited and feel okay with tonight's results. This gives us good practice at competing."
-Oana Petrovschi(on the 2001 ITC)

"I want to have a party like never before." (after the 2000 Olympics)

"Gymnastics has always been a passion for me. Now it's a way of life."

"I accept this medal [for] Romania. The Olympic Champion that day was Andreea, not me."
-Simona Amanar"

"During the warm up Maria Olaru said 'I'm going to win a medal here'and I thought this was very strange. This is the first time she is like a witch. She did not know the scores, but the position of each gymnast on the podium. So whoever wants to play the lottery, please ask Maria. She'll give you the [winning] number." (after the Olympics)

"For me, this is the first real gold medal in the Olympics."

"If Gina smiles once a week, that is a lot!"

"They are like sisters, when Lavinia is happy, everyone is happy"
-Octavian Belu

"I was very happy, because of all the gymnasts who competed in Barcelona I was the only one to maintain her place"

"Maybe I looked better [in Atlanta], but it was easier in Barcelona for me because I was smaller"

"You have to be as good to score a 20 then you will probably get a 10"

"I'm not used to being happy in the gym, but that doesn't mean I don't like the sport. I love the sport"
-Lavinia Milosovici

"Giving interviews is the most difficult thing about being a gymnast"

"I respect Milo because she always led our team well. I don't know if I can do it like she did."

"...a job like this requires you to make some huge sacrifices, which I am not willing to make - at my age."
-Gina Gogean(on leaving Deva)

"Very introvertite, but with a hard life experience, Gina proved to be courageous and very self-believing. Shy, but also very interested of all around her, Gina is a secret weapon of the Romanian gymnastic school"
-Sport Magazine

"Work hard to always be among the best."
"I was honored to take part in the festivity organized in Milo's honor. She was such a remarkable gymnast, but also a great friend"
-Claudia Presacan

"She always helps us, she's very supportive all the time, and does everything it takes to help the team!"
-Alexandra Marinescu(on Presacan)

"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 collection"
-Corina Ungureanu

"Corina got a lot more from gymnastics than what she gave (to the sport). She is tarnishing the image of her teammates, even though she is now retired, and she can do whatever she wants. In any case, I don't understand how an obscure gymnast who takes her clothes off gets a lot more attention from the press than the victories of our current champions"
-Mariana Bitang

"Ungureanu tarnished the image of Romanian gymnastics"
-Simona Amanar

"We will get up on the stage. Corina is free to do what she wants, but we can't be seen next to her"
-Maria Olaru

"She isn't always easy [to work with]. She is a typical teenager (laughs). Last October she underwent knee surgery and had to stop training for nearly four months. We thought she would never compete again. It was a very difficult time for her. Once she returned to the gym though, she was more motivated and worked very hard to recover"
-Mariana Bitang(on World Champ Maria Olaru)

"[Daniela Maranduca] is the most determined and dedicated gymnast I have ever coached."
-Nicolae Forminte

"[She is] the kindest and most supportive teammate anyone can ever have."

"[Dani's determination was]the best lesson [I] had ever learned."
-Simona Amanar(on Daniela Maranduca)

"[Daniela] was the best lead-off any team had, and her performances helped the Romanian team win the gold medal."
Octavian Belu(on Dani's performances at the 1994 Worlds)

"Winning a gold medal with your team is the best feeling in world. I felt honored to be on the podium with my team mates and the great team spirit we had lifted all of our performances to another level."
-Daniela Maranduca(on the 1994 Worlds)