Sportsister spoke to Olympic legend Nadia Comeneci at the launch of the London 2012 Olympic ticket sales.
I’ve seen a few photos of you with Carl Lewis this morning – looks like you’re really getting into the spirit! What’s been the general feeling at today’s launch?
I think it went great, it’s always fun to be around athletes that have experienced an Olympic Games such as Seb Coe and Carl (Lewis). Today we got together to let people know that the tickets are going on sale. People have 42 days to figure out what they want to see and then plan their Olympic experience. But there is no need to rush, because it’s not first come first served – there is a 42 day window for everybody to apply.
What do the Olympics mean to you, as an Olympic legend?
Well I was 14 when I had my first experience so I was too young to fully realise… I mean I knew that the Olympics were the thing to be a part of. The Olympics for me, because I made history with my score of 10, has also defined my life. Now 35 years later I’m still here promoting the Games and I meet a lot of people that come to me and they say I know exactly where I was when I watched you compete and I’m like really, 35 years ago and you still remember?! So there are some historic moments that happen at every Olympic Games and I wouldn’t want to miss it, I want to be a part of it.
Can you tell us why you think people should apply for tickets?
Well it’s because the Olympic Games come to your country probably once in a lifetime. I’ve competed in two Olympic Games and I have been a spectator at all Games since I retired.
London is a beautiful place to visit and when you add the Olympics and the atmosphere that that brings, along with cheering on your own athletes - it just makes it so unique, so why would you be in another place?
There are a lot of sports that people can go and see, I would recommend going for tickets in the preliminary rounds not just the finals – everyone will want those tickets and they will be hard to get. It will still be a really special event, so remember, there’s 26 sports and you know, when you have your home crowd with you it makes it so much more special for the athletes.
Who will you be looking out for?
Well there will be a lot of new faces, I’m talking specifically gymnastics, but here you have great potential with Beth Tweddle in two events on bars and floor and Louis Smith on pommel horse.
There’s still a little more time, we don’t know exactly how the team will look because it hasn’t been decided yet, but gymnastics is always a hot ticket for people to watch.
How do you think the athletes will be feeling with just 500 days to go and tickets going on sale?
I think the athletes are just looking at what they do every day until they come here to compete. With this announcement it just wakes everybody up – yes the Olympics are coming and yes you have to buy tickets if you want to experience it!
And what has been your most memorable Olympics experience?
Well when you go there and compete you are very focused on what you have to do. Gymnastics lasts for a couple of days because we have prelims and team preliminaries and team finals. I remember mostly that I got to meet a lot of high profile people and athletes that I had read about.
You obviously inspired a lot of people with your incredible performances – how does it feel to know people may have taken up gymnastics, or sport in general, because of you?
I am always very surprised that people remember me after so many years, some people come to me and say you were my idol, I grew up, I did gymnastics but I was not as good as you were! It is very nice to hear. And its amazing that people still remember something that happened all those years ago.
What advice would you give people who go to watch the Olympics and get inspired to take up a sport?
Take it a day at a time and always have a dream. The fact that you are there and you are a part of an Olympic experience is a winning situation for everybody. Then, if you go back with medals that’s also much better! Dreams are for real because a lot of people dream and they have success achieving their dream.
Jessica Whittington, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine
To apply for London 2012 tickets visit www.tickets.london2012.com any time between March 15 and April 26.
