Henrietta Ónodi

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Henrietta Ónodi (born May 22, 1974) is a Hungarian artistic gymnast. She competed at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics and won a gold and a silver medal in 1992.[1] After retiring from gymnastics in 1997 she moved to the United States, married American Olympic pentathlete Jimbo Haley, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. In 2010, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.[2]

Henrietta Ónodi
Ónodi at the 1992 Olympics
Personal information
Country represented Hungary
Born (1974-05-22) May 22, 1974 (age 50)
Békéscsaba, Hungary[1]
Height146 cm (4 ft 9 in)[1]
DisciplineWomen's artistic gymnastics
Years on national team1986–92, 1995–97 (HUN)
ClubBékéscsabai Előre Atlétikai Club
ATorna Club Békéscsaba[1]
Head coach(es)Mihály Unyatyinszky
Assistant coach(es)Júlia Karakas
Retired1997
Medal record
Representing  Hungary
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1992 Barcelona Vault
Silver medal – second place 1992 Barcelona Floor exercise
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1992 Paris Vault
Silver medal – second place 1991 Indianapolis Vault
Silver medal – second place 1992 Paris Floor exercise
World Cup Final
Gold medal – first place 1990 Brussels Vault
Silver medal – second place 1990 Brussels Floor exercise
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Brussels All-around
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Brussels Uneven bars
Goodwill Games
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Seattle All Around
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 1989 Brussels Uneven bars
Bronze medal – third place 1989 Brussels Floor exercise
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Athens All-around
Bronze medal – third place 1990 Athens Floor exercise

Career

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Ónodi, also known as "Heni" in the gymnastics community, began gymnastics in 1978 and made her international debut in 1986. Too young to qualify for the 1988 Olympics, she made her senior debut in 1989 and represented Hungary at the World Championships that year, where she placed 19th in the all-around and 5th in the balance beam event finals.

Over the next few years, Ónodi established herself as a medal contender at major events. In 1989 she became the first female Hungarian gymnast to medal at the European Championships with a gold on the uneven bars; at the 1990 Europeans she placed third in the all-around and the floor exercise. In 1990, she also finished third in the all-around at the Goodwill Games and the World Cup where she won the vault event. At the 1991 World Championships Ónodi suffered a sudden back injury but was able to win a silver medal on vault and helped the Hungarian squad qualify for the 1992 Olympics with an eighth-place finish in the team final.

The next year at the Olympics in Barcelona, Ónodi became the first female Hungarian gymnast in over 30 years to win an Olympic gold medal. She tied with Romanian Lavinia Miloșovici for the gold in the vault event final; on floor exercise, performing to "Hungarian Rhapsody" she finished second behind Miloşovici. Ónodi's difficulty level on vault was actually higher than Miloșovici's (they both used full twisting Yurchenkos but Henrietta did a piked barani and Milosovici a tucked). Ónodi also performed the difficult triple twist on floor, then an unusual move (nobody else in the Barcelona floor finals did it).

Ónodi semi-retired after Barcelona Olympics to focus on her studies. She returned to international competitions in 1995 at the World University Games and subsequently led the Hungarian team at the 1996 Olympics. She retired again in 1997 after attending her second University Games.[2]

Skills and style

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Ónodi made many contributions to gymnastics during her competitive career. She was lauded for her unique style and power on vaulting and floor. Her uneven bars routine consisted of elements on the low bar at a time when most gymnasts did the minimum two elements on the low bar.

Eponymous skill

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Onodi has one eponymous skill listed in the Code of Points.[3]

Apparatus Name Description Difficulty[a] Notes
Balance beam Onodi Jump bwd (flic-flac take-off) with ½ turn (180°) to walkover forward D Though it is named after Ónodi, Olga Mostepanova was the first to compete the skill at a World Championships or Olympics. Henrietta also performed the skill on FX, but on FX it is rated as an A skill.
  1. ^ Valid for the 2022-2024 Code of Points

Post-retirement

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In 2001 Ónodi graduated with a degree in marketing and found a job in Miami, Florida, as Director of Community Relations for the World Olympians Association. She married Jimbo Haley, an American pentathlete who also competed at the 1992 Olympics, and became a naturalized U.S. citizen. In 2010, she was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame.[2]

In March 2024, at 50 years of age, Henrietta suffered a heart attack, the severity of which has necessitated long-term care. Her sister has set up a GoFund me.[4]

Competitive history

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Year Event Team AA VT UB BB FX
Junior
1985 FTC Cup      
Pioneer Summer Olympics  
1986 Avignon International  
Olso Tournament    
BUL-HUN Dual Meet   4
European Championships 12 4 7
Friendship Tournament 5 11 7 8
Kosice International 17
Kraft International        
Pioneer Summer Olympics  
1987 McDonald's American Cup 7
Athens International 8  
International Mixed Pairs 15
Friendship Tournament 4 10   6 7
HUN-FRG Dual Meet    
Kosice International     6    
1988
European Championships 8 6   4
Friendship Tournament 4 7   6 6
Hungarian Masters          
Mezobank Cup  
Senior
1989 McDonald's American Cup  
DTB Cup       4  
European Championships 5 8   5  
Gander Memorial  
GBR-HUN Dual Meet    
Hungarian Championships          
Hungarian High School Championships      
Hungarian International  
Hungarian Masters  
International Mixed Pairs 5
World Championships 9 19 5
1990 Blume Memorial 7
Bolzano Grand Prix  
Chunichi Cup         5
Cottbus International     7  
DTB Cup       6  
European Championships   8 8  
French International 8
Goodwill Games   4 5 7 4
Hungarian Championships  
Hungarian Masters  
Tokyo Cup    
World Cup Final       8  
1991 Blume Memorial 4   4 4  
Chunichi Cup          
Galvan Memorial  
Hapoel Games  
Hungarian Championships          
Hungarian International        
Hungarian Masters  
HUN-ISR Dual Meet    
Tokyo Cup    
World Championships 8 31   4 7 8
1992 McDonald's American Cup  
Cottbus International     4    
FRA-HUN Dual Meet  
Hungarian Championships  
Hungarian International          
HUN-ROM Dual Meet  
International Mixed Pairs 8
Olympic Games 6 8    
World Championships    
1993 Hungarian International        
Subaru World Open 4
1996 Olympic Games 9

[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d Henrietta Ónodi Archived 2013-09-24 at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ a b c Henrietta Ónodi. ighof.com
  3. ^ "2022-2024 Code of Points Women's Artistic Gymnastics" (PDF). International Gymnastics Federation. pp. 135, 210. Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  4. ^ "Olympic champion gymnast Onodi's family seeking funds for rehab". Reuters. 2024-07-24. Retrieved 2024-08-18.
  5. ^ "Henrietta Onodi Biography". Gymn Forum. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
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