Bela Karolyi

Perhaps one of the most well known coaches in Olympic history, Bela Karolyi began his career as a national junior boxing champion and a member of the Romanian hammer throwing team. Born in Romania, Karolyi eventually enrolled at the Romania College of Physical Education. During his senior year at the institution, he began coaching the women's gymnastics team. The star of that team, Marta Karolyi (nee Eross) would become his wife, and together, the two of them would open a training school for young gymnasts in Karolyi's hometown. The Karolyis' success record with the young athletes was stunning, and by 1976, he was named the head coach of the Romanian gymnastics team, leading the squad to the Olympics in Montreal, where they took home seven medals. The constraints of his government remained a problem for Karolyi however, and in 1981, he and his wife defected to the United States. There, the pair picked up where they left off as coaches and by 1984, Bela was coaching gymnasts Mary Lou Retton and Julianne McNamara at the Olympic Games. By 1988, he was named the head coach of the USA women's gymnastics team, with two senators waiving the mandatory five-year waiting period for him to establish residency so that he could do so. Karolyi memorably helped his personal student Kerri Strug at the 1996 Olympics, offering her a heartfelt motivational speech after she injured her ankle, and then carrying her to the podium so that she could accept her gold medal. Karolyi retired as a coach after that season, but in 1999, he was brought on as team coordinator for USA gymnastics. Karolyi also appeared as a guest commentator for USA gymnastics in 2008.