Nadia Comaneci and her husband, Bart Conner, are both gymnasts and Olympic gold medalists. Currently in their 60s, they met in their teenage, but it was until the 1990s that their relationship began.
Comaneci, a Romanian-born and naturalized American citizen married Bart in 1996, which was televised live throughout Romania. Together, the duo shares a son.
For Nadia, her husband Bart’s entry into her life after defection from her home country was more than a savior move.
He saved the now-retired gymnast from an abusive relationship and set her path to gymnastic professionalism.
Aside from being husband-wife and doting parents, Nadia and Bart are business partners. They co-own gymnastic academies and sports equipment shops.
Born Nadia Elena Comăneci Conner, the gymnast recorded seven perfects 10s at the Olympic Games- the first being at 14 in 1976.
Considered one of the world’s best-known gymnasts, Comaneci records nine Olympic medals, including five gold, three silver, and one bronze.
While her professional achievements are significant, her story of troubles and her daring escape from Romania is equally in the media limelight.
Nadia Comaneci Husband Bart Conner: Grand Wedding And Relationship
On April 27, 1996, Conner and Comaneci married in a grand ceremony in the Parliamentary Palace in Bucharest, Romania.
The lavish wedding, televised live throughout Romania, had more than 1500 guests in attendance.
The ceremony, after the fall of the Communist regime, not only saw her matrimony but also a welcome as a national hero.
The duo celebrated their 25th anniversary in April 2018 and shared the throwback from the moment on Facebook.
Having met in the mid-1970s, the two had fateful encounters in international games but got close in the 1990s after Conner saved her from an abuser.
Comaneci and Conner were good friends for a year and phone pals until she moved to Oklahoma to help him set up gymnastic schools in 1991.
Shortly after, the friendship turned to romance, and they were in a relationship.
After dating for a couple of years, the duo got engaged in 1994- Bart proposed to her on a vacation to Amsterdam. It would follow their wedding two years later.
Parents To A Son
Nadia Comenaci and her husband Bart Conner are parents to a son. Their son Dylan Paul Conner was born on June 3, 2006, which makes him 17 years old as of April 2024.
As reported, their son Dylan was kept in the hospital’s special care unit while developing his swallow reflex.
After a decade of their marriage, the duo embraced parenthood; Nadia was 45 and Bart was 49 then.
As reported, the duo was only a step far from artificial insemination or adopting a baby before the miracle happened- the gymnast got pregnant.
Their son Dylan is active on Instagram and is passionate about cars and racing.
Nadia Met Bart Through Gymnastics In 1976
Nadia Comaneci Conner and her husband, Bart Conner, are retired gymnasts.
Bart Conner, an American-born, represented the United States in the 1984 Olympic Games and won two gold medals.
It was fate that the gymnastic passion would lead Bart to meet his future wife, Nadia, a renowned gymnast from Romania then.
They met in March 1976 at the American Cup at N.Y.C.’s Madison Square Garden. Conner, then 17, won the men’s title, while Comaneci, 14, topped the women’s division.
As they were being photographed celebrating their respective victories, a photographer asked Bart to kiss her on the cheek as it would seem adorable.
Little did they know that this would mark a sweet love story to tell in the coming days.
The two would encounter each other in the 1976 Olympics, where Nadia took home a gold medal after scoring a perfect ten while Bart returned empty hand.
Regarding that incident, the Illinois native said,
“She redefined our sport and became a global superstar . And I took 46th place in the Olympics, so nobody knew me, and she didn’t certainly pay attention to me”.
Their third encounter would be in 1981 as she shared a bus with American gymnasts, including Bart.
It took her time to remember, but she recognized him later and stated that ‘Conner was incredibly friendly and fun.’
Comaneci’s Defection To The US- Bart Aided In Rescue From Abuser
A few weeks before the Romanian Revolution, on November 27, 1989, Nadia and other Romanians defected from Romania to the United States.
Constantin Panait, a Romanian emigre, led the group’s defection. The gymnast became media attention as they arrived in New York on November 28.
Since Comaneci knew no one in there, it gave an advantage to Panait began to dictate her moves and abused her monetary benefits, keeping her captive for a reported three months.
He even used her words to present himself as her lover and manager.
It was in January 1990 when Bart Conner found out that Nadia was having a scheduled interview on The Pat Sajak Show.
Thanks to his impression as a TV commentator, he talked himself onto “The Pat Sajak Show.”
But upon learning that she was in trouble, he helped make the connections that led her to escape the abuser.
