Teodora Ungureanu

Ungureanu began gymnastics at the age of nine.[2] She trained in Bucharest until she was 12, when she joined the gymnastics school run by Béla Károlyi and his wife Márta. At her first Romanian National Championships, in 1971, she placed first in the all-around in the children's division. While Ungureanu was a skilled athlete, medalling at various World Cup and international events, she was frequently overshadowed by her more celebrated teammate and friend, Nadia Comăneci (who was born the day before Ungureanu's first birthday). She placed second to Comăneci at various events, including the Romanian Nationals. At the 1976 Summer Olympics, Ungureanu barely missed an all-around bronze, finishing fourth. She did win two individual medals in the event finals, a bronze on the balance beam and a silver on the uneven bars, and shared in the team's silver medal.[1] Ungureanu's final meet was the 1979 World University Games, where she finished first in the all-around.[2]

Following her retirement, she married Romanian Olympic gymnast Sorin Cepoi[1] and began working with the Troup Cornea travelling circus. She and her husband eventually moved to France, where they coached for eight years before going to the United States in 1993.[2] In 2001, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.[3] Currently, Ungureanu and her husband own Dynamic Gymnastics club in Westchester, New York. Ungureanu coached four-year national team member and 2011 world champion Sabrina Vega until 2012 at Dynamic Gymnastics. Ungureanu is also rated as an International Gymnastics Official and serves as a judge at various competitions.[2]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Teodora Ungureanu.

• Teodora Ungureanu at the International Gymnastics Federation
• Bio at romanian-gymnastics.com
• List of competitive results at Gymn Forum
• Whatever Happened to Teodora Ungureanu?
• Profile at GymnasticaBio.com
• Dynamic Gymnastics Homepage