| Coached
by the legendary Nadia Comaneci until Nadia's defection,
and later by Mihai Sandulescu, Cristina Bontas was the
surprise top Romanian at the 1989 World Championships,
finishing ahead of the great Daniela Silivas and just behind
the trio of Soviet medalists (Boguinskaia, Laschenova and
Strazheva). While the 1989 World Championships were
certainly Bontas' coming out party, she had been waiting in
the wings for quite some time (she was actually the second -
and therefore non-travelling - alternate on the 1988 Olympic
team).
Following the 1989 World Championships,
Bontas continued to assert her position as the new leader of
the Romanian team - big shoes to fill after the
legendary Silivas. Bontas led the Romanian effect at the
1990 World Cup, finishing a disappointing 6th place but less
than .30 out of first place. Pegged as one to watch at the
1991 World Championships, Bontas did not disappoint, winning
the bronze in the AA and tying for gold on the FX with the
Soviet's Chusovitina. Interestingly, in their December 1991
issue, IG points out that tie between a Soviet and a
Romanian on floor was the third in a row on that event at
worlds. In 1987 Shushunova (URS) tied Daniela Silivas (ROM),
and in 1989 Boguinskaia (URS) tied Daniala Silivas (ROM).
By this point, Bontas was certainly
expected to lead the Romanians at the 1992 Olympics.
Although she placed a respectable 4th AA and tied for third
on FX, it was team member Lavinia Milosovici who shined in
Barcelona, finishing 3rd overall, tying for first on vault
and finishing first on floor.
Following the 1992 Olympics, Bontas
moved to Milan, Italy for a short period. She returned
to Romania to study at the Institute of Physical Education
in Bucharest and work as a commentator for Romanian TV.
After completing her studies, she coached briefly in Romania
before accepting a 12 month contract with the Ellan Vannin
Gymnastics Club, located on the small island north of Wales
called The Isle Of Man. According to Gym Stars, the generous
Bontas gave five of her old leotards to some of the gymnasts
in her group.
When the contract was up, Bontas
immigrated to Canada to coach here in Hamilton. She went
back to Romania in 1998 to marry, returning to Canada
without husband Gabi Tantaru while they waited for his immigration papers. After several months, her husband was
able to join her in Canada, he too coaching at a Hamilton
mountain gym.
In May of 1999, Bontas gave birth to her
first child, a daughter named Elissa. The couple also have a
son, Eric, born in April 2002. Both of her children are a
constant and delightful presence at the gym.
In September 2003, Bontas and her husband
opened World Class Gymnastics and it has grown in leaps and
bounds since that time. The club offers programming that
ranges from recreational, pre-competitive, to competitive
and serves children aged 2 and up. |