1984: Ecaterina Szabó’s Perfect 40s

In the summer of 1984, Ecaterina Szabó achieved something that, even in an era of liberal scoring, stood out as exceptional: she recorded two perfect all-around totals of 40.00, months apart and in markedly different competitive settings. The first came in June, at a dual meet against Czechoslovakia in Prague, where Szabó received a 10.00 on all four of her optional routines—a feat that FIG officials publicly acknowledged as unprecedented. The second followed in August at the “40th Anniversary Cup” in Buzău, a domestic competition staged in the afterglow of the Los Angeles Olympics, where she again scored a perfect 40.00.

Here are a few newspaper articles about those competitions.

Ecaterina Szabo, Romania, gold medallist (Photo by S&G/PA Images via Getty Images)

June 1984: The Perfect 40 in Czechoslovakia

Fourteen Perfect 10s!

PRAGUE (laj) — Marked by several curiosities—and above all by outstanding performances—the women’s international gymnastics meet between Czechoslovakia and Romania unfolded under unusual circumstances. Not only was the program run in reverse order (beginning with optional routines, and even starting on uneven bars—whereas the Olympic program opens with vault), but it also proceeded at a remarkably fast pace (the optional routines were completed in just 126 minutes). Most striking of all, however, was the maximum score achieved by the third-best gymnast from last year’s World Championships, Ecaterina Szabó.

“It has never happened before that a gymnast received a ten on all four apparatus in a single competition. Szabó is the first,” agreed Czechoslovakia’s Matlochová and Romania’s Simionescu, both vice chairs of the FIG Women’s Technical Committee after Saturday’s competition.

In fact, the judges were generous on the first day, awarding the perfect score thirteen times. The fourteenth nearly came from the home team, but Kobližková lost a tenth on floor for stepping out of bounds. It was unfortunate that a similar error (a touch of the ground) on uneven bars by Szabó went unnoticed. Had it been penalized, a major surprise could have occurred, with Hana Říčná and Alena Dřevjaná leading the competition at 39.90 points. Both truly shone on all four apparatus.

The remaining four team members also rose to the occasion, and thus, the favored Romanians—silver medalists at last year’s World Championships in Budapest—led after the optional routines by only half a point (197.60–197.10). Their advantage was decided on balance beam, where Červenková fell twice and Labáková over-rotated a salto.

Against opponents who collectively owned nine medals from last year’s Worlds, the Czechoslovak gymnasts continued to perform very well in Sunday’s compulsory routines as well (despite the absence of Polcrová, who was preparing for medical school entrance exams). In the end, they lost to the overwhelming favorites—who arrived with their strongest lineup—by just 0.75 points (393.90–394.65).

“I expected a clearer victory for Romania. Your gymnasts, however—especially in the optional routines—pleasantly surprised me. It was a very even contest, with all the gymnasts performing at the limits of their abilities,” said the meet’s head judge, Switzerland’s N. Dotti, afterward.

Her assessment is fully borne out by the fact that fourteen perfect tens were awarded in total (the final one coming on Sunday, again to Szabó, on floor).

Final Individual Standings

Ecaterina Szabó (Romania) — 79.65
Alena Dřevjaná — 79.55
Hana Říčná — 79.45
Lavinia Agache — 79.35
Kobližková — 78.75
Simona Păucă — 78.55
Labáková — 78.25

Zemědělské Noviny, June 11, 1984

August 1984: A Perfect 40 at the 40th Anniversary Cup

Ecaterina Szabó – 40 Points out of a Possible 40!

BUZĂU, 19 (by telephone).
The warm and generous people of Buzău turned the reunion with our Olympic gymnastics champions and the other leading athletes competing in the important “40th Anniversary Cup” into a true celebration of sport. In turn, the male and female competitors displayed their mastery and virtuosity at the highest level, offering a spectacle of refined technical quality which, over three days, featured genuine headline attractions.

First came the men’s competition, with Emilian Nicula and Valentin Pintea in the spotlight, alongside equally pleasing performances by Marius Gherman, Nicușor Pascu, Petrică Pătuluță, Nicolae Bejenaru, Marian Stoican, and Marian Teodorescu—talented athletes with real promise. Then it was the women’s turn, with Romania’s national team, Olympic champions, at center stage. Nearly 4,000 spectators wanted to see Ecaterina Szabó, Simona Păucă, Laura Cutina, Cristina Grigoraș, Lavinia Agache, and Mihaela Stănuleț, following their excellent performances at the Pauley Pavilion in Los Angeles.

This explains why, on Saturday afternoon, the familiar question—“Don’t you have an extra ticket?”—was heard from hundreds of sports fans at the entrance to the Buzău Sports Hall. Those fortunate enough to witness the competition will surely remember an unforgettable sporting contest: the atmosphere was so warm, the struggle for victory in the “40th Anniversary Cup” so beautiful and sporting, as athletes competed for the national championship titles, both team and individual.

Following the draw, Simona Păucă and Laura Cutina competed in the opening women’s session on Saturday afternoon. Simona opened with a 9.80 on uneven bars, then competed on the apparatus that made her famous worldwide—the balance beam—earning a 9.90, a score she also received on floor and vault. With a total of 39.50 points, Simona Păucă took a strong position in the race for the podium. Laura Cutina, despite higher scores on floor and vault (9.95), lost ground on beam.

In the next rotation, attention shifted to other Olympians: Cristina Grigoraș (C.S.S. Onești), Mihaela Stănuleț, and Camelia Renciu (C.S.S. Sibiu). As expected, members of the national team delivered highly applauded routines, and the judging panels rewarded the best exercises with high marks. Cristina Grigoraș, for example, received a 9.95 on vault and 9.90 on floor, while Mihaela Stănuleț scored 9.90 on vault.

Ecaterina Szabó and Lavinia Agache, representing C.S.S. Cetate Deva, competed in the final group. Confirming their international class with brilliance, both gymnasts literally brought the crowd to its feet. Each opened with a perfect 10 on floor, a score Ecaterina Szabó repeated on vault. Lavinia Agache earned a 9.95 on vault to thunderous applause. Szabó then received another 10 on uneven bars, while Lavinia had a slight hesitation and was awarded 9.90.

Everything came down to the balance beam. Lavinia went first, scoring 9.85. Then Ecaterina Szabó—recalling her exceptional routine from Los Angeles—rose once again to the occasion: 10! Thus, she captured the title with a perfect score: 40 points out of 40 possible.

The Buzău championships also brought several representatives of the new generation into the spotlight, including Gabriela Potorac (S.C. Bacău), who received two perfect 10s on uneven bars, and Celestina Popa (Petrolul Ploiești), both true revelations. Members of the national team did not compete in Sunday morning’s apparatus finals.