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"By the time I got to the 1980 Olympics in Moscow, I had gone through lots of changes and, instead of being the little 14-year-old sensation, I was now the one to beat." What happened next shocked Nadia and the world, she missed one of the easiest moves in her bars routine. "The next thing I knew I was on the floor under the uneven bars. I was reigning champion. I was supposed to be sailing through my exercises just like at Montreal four years earlier. I was supposed to be the 'Perfect 10'. How could this be happening to me?"

"By the end of the Games, I went on to win two gold medals and two silver medals. A great success by most standards, but still to this day, people say, 'It's too bad that you didn't do well in Moscow'. We have all heard the cliché 'Nobody is perfect'. Because I had gotten perfect scores in 1976, people somehow attached that impossible label of 'perfection' to me. We are not machines. I made a mistake, but I got up again and won two gold medals. I showed myself and others that I could handle adversity."

"As athletes dedicated to lofty goals, we realize that even if we had not won our Olympic medals, we still would have gained much value from the process of trying to become champions. Those life skills and attitudes define who we are. Our coaches taught us that there is nothing wrong with chasing dreams because you just might catch one. What you do with those dreams -- that's up to you."

The Olympic Spirit in YOU!
An important ingredient to Nadia's achievements was her ability to focus. Focusing on daily improvements will give you a sense of accomplishment at the end of each day, leaving you feeling constantly fulfilled and successful. Here is an easy way to put your goals in focus:

• F: Find Your Talents - What are you good at?
• O: Observe Your Role Models - Let their experiences guide you.
• C: Challenge Yourself - Try to improve slowly but consistently.
• U: Utilize Your Resources - Log on to the Internet, scan the library, or ask your coach.
• S: Strive to Make a Difference - What do you believe in?

More Athletes

Ann Meyers Drysdale Bart Conner Billy Mills Baron Pierre de Coubertin Gail Devers Greg Barton Henry Marsh John Naber

Karch Kiraly Mary Lou Retton Matt Ghaffari Milt Campbell Nadia Comaneci Nancy Hogshead Paul Gonzales Terry Schroeder

For more great stories about Olympians, ask your librarian for books about Olympic spirit, including Awaken the Olympian Within complied by John Naber, and The Olympic Dream and Spirit, Vol. 1, 2, and 3, with Bob Schaller.