Nadia Comaneci, whose perfect scores in gymnastics at the 1976 Olympics made sports history, bade a tearful farewell to competition today.
The 22-year-old Miss Comaneci announced her retirement at a ceremony attended by the head of the International Olympic Committee and some of the world's finest gymnasts.
As a solemn 14-year old, she stunned the sports world 8 years ago, turning in a series of perfect 10 scores and winning 3 gold medals at the Games in Montreal. She also collected 21 gold medals in international competition during her career.
A trim 103 pounds, she performed several exhibition beam and floor routines today. Then, normally composed, she broke down in the middle of her farewell speech before a sellout crowd of 5,000 at the Sports Palace. Attending were the I.O.C. president, Juan Antonio Samaranch; Dmitri Bilozerchev of the Soviet Union, the all-round men's world champion, and leading gymnasts from the United States, China and Japan.
''I regret that from now on I will never know the excitement of competition,'' Miss Comaneci said. ''I'm sorry I will never compete again.''