This week in Olympic history: July 15-21: Nadia Comaneci scores the first perfect 10 in gymnastics
Olympics.com explores the events in Olympic sports history, highlighting Olympians' birthdays and notable sporting events from July 15-21.
Welcome to "This Week in Olympic Sports History," where Olympics.com commemorates the most historically significant sports events of the past. This week, we'll cover July 15-21.
On this day: July 18, 1976 - Nadia Comaneci Scores the First Perfect 10 in Olympic Gymnastics
On July 18, 1976, 14-year-old Nadia Comaneci stunned the world at the Olympic Games Montreal 1976 by becoming the first gymnast to score a perfect 10.0. The Romanian prodigy performed flawlessly on the uneven bars, leading the judges to award her an unprecedented score.
The 1.5-meter-tall gymnast executed her routine with impeccable precision and grace. However, the scoreboard at Montreal's Forum wasn't designed to display a perfect 10. Instead, it flashed "1.00," causing initial confusion among spectators and officials. It soon became clear that Nadia had achieved what was once deemed impossible: a perfect score in Olympic gymnastics.
The teenager's perfect score on the uneven bars was just the beginning. Over the course of the 1976 Games, she received a total of seven perfect 10s for events en route to winning three gold medals.
Nadia's triumph in Montreal set a new standard in gymnastics. She continued her success in Moscow 1980, winning two more gold medals and achieving two additional perfect scores. Her Olympic career ended with a total of nine medals, including five gold.
Quote of the week - Nadia Comaneci
I don't run away from a challenge because I am afraid. Instead, I run toward it because the only way to escape fear is to trample it beneath your feet
Notable Olympic birthdays:
- Hakon Brusveen (Norway, Cross-Country Skiing, Olympic champion) born 15 July 1927
- Oleg Protopopov (Russia, Figure skating, two-time Olympic champion) born 16 July 1932
- Kim Rhode (USA, Shooting, three-time Olympic champion) born 16 July 1979
- Gerd Wessig (Germany, Athletics, Olympic champion) born 16 July 1959
- Miguel Indurain (Spain, Cycling Road, Olympic champion) born 16 July 1964
- Carli Lloyd (USA, Football, two-time Olympic champion) born 16 July 1982
- Duncan Keith (Canada, Ice Hockey, two-time Olympic champion) born 16 July 1983
- Dorothy Poynton-Hill (USA, Swimming, two-time Olympic champion) born 17 July 1915
- Cathy Ferguson (USA, Swimming, two-time Olympic champion) born 17 July 1948
- Rudolf Karpati (Hungary, Fencing, six-time Olympic champion) born 17 July 1920
- Jay Barrs (USA, Archery, Olympic champion) born 17 July 1962
- Matti Nykanen (Finland, Ski Jumping, four-time Olympic champion) born 17 July 1963
- Juan Manuel Vivaldi (Argentina, Hockey, Olympic champion) born 17 July 1979
- Richard Button (USA, Figure Skating, two-time Olympic champion) born 18 July 1929
- Tenley Albright (USA, Figure Skating, two-time Olympic Champion) born 18 July 1935
- Shirley Strickland (Australia, Athletics, three-time Olympic champion) born 18 July 1925
- David Hemery (UK, Athletics, Olympic champion) born 18 July 1944
- Anfernee Hardaway (USA, Basketball, Olympic champion) born 18 July 1971
- Sui Wenjing (China, Figure Skating, Olympic champion) born 18 July 1995
- Sandor Wladar (Hungary, Swimming, Olympic champion) born 19 July 1963
- Teresa Edwards (USA, Basketball, four-time Olympic champion) born 19 July 1964
- Diana Mocanu (Romania, Swimming, two-time Olympic champion) born 19 July 1984
- Larry Black (USA, Athletics, Olympic champion) born 20 July 1951
- Ray Allen (USA, Basketball, Olympic champion) born 20 July 1975
Make sure to visit Olympics.com next week for more sports and Olympic history.