Teodora Ungureanu (born 13 November 1960) is a Romanian former gymnast who competed at the 1976 Summer Olympics. She is a three-time Olympic medalist (two silver and one bronze) and a world championships silver medalist. After retiring from gymnastics, she enjoyed a successful career as a gymnastics coach.
Ungureanu began her gymnastics journey at the age of nine. She trained in Bucharest until the age of 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, frequently medaling at various World Cup and international events, she was often overshadowed by her more celebrated teammate and friend, Nadia Comăneci, who was born the day before Ungureanu’s first birthday. Ungureanu consistently placed second to Comăneci at different events, including the Romanian Nationals.
At the 1976 Summer Olympics, Ungureanu narrowly missed an all-around bronze medal, finishing in fourth place. However, she did win two individual medals in the event finals – a bronze on the balance beam and a silver on the uneven bars. She also shared in the team’s silver medal.
Ungureanu’s final meet as a gymnast was the 1979 World University Games, where she took home the gold medal in the all-around.
Following her retirement, she married Romanian Olympic gymnast Sorin Cepoi and began working with the Troup Cornea traveling circus. Eventually, Ungureanu and her husband moved to France, where they coached for eight years before relocating to the United States in 1993.
In 2001, she was rightfully inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame, recognizing her significant contributions to the sport.
Currently, Ungureanu and her husband own the Dynamic Gymnastics club in Westchester, New York. She has coached several gymnasts, including Sabrina Vega, who was a member of the national team and 2011 world champion. Ungureanu is also rated as an International Gymnastics Official and serves as a judge at various competitions.
Awards:
– Two Olympic silver medals
– One Olympic bronze medal
– One world championships silver medal
– Inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2001