Gymnastics Great Nadia Comaneci Gifted NFT for 'Perfect Ten' Anniversary

Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games. (AFP)
Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games. (AFP)
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Gymnastics Great Nadia Comaneci Gifted NFT for 'Perfect Ten' Anniversary

Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games. (AFP)
Nadia Comaneci was the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games. (AFP)

Romanian former gymnastics star Nadia Comaneci was gifted an NFT - a type of digital asset - by a group of Romanian creatives to mark the 45th anniversary since she became the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 at the Olympic Games.

The NFT is a digital necklace made of 10 pieces that are 3D renderings of vault, uneven bars, beam and floor moves she performed in Montreal in 1976.

It was created by a designer, an architect, a visual artist and an IT programmer and presented during Romanian Creative Week, an event showcasing design in the eastern city of Iasi earlier this month.

"I am glad to see that my performance from 45 years ago continues to inspire the young generation," Comaneci, who now resides in Oklahoma, said in a video message.

"I liked the idea of a new type of pioneering, this time at the intersection between athletic performance and technology."

Six other NFTs inspired by the "Perfect Ten" were created and will be auctioned off on Open Sea, the NFT marketplace, on July 18, the exact day when Comaneci made history.

NFTs, or non-fungible tokens, are blockchain-based digital assets ranging from art and videos to songs and tweets that have exploded in popularity during the pandemic as enthusiasts and investors scramble to spend enormous sums of money on items that only exist online.



US Reportedly Pushes Vietnam to Decouple from Chinese Tech

A merchant carries goods that she bought at Long Bien Market, one of the largest wholesale markets in Hanoi, in Hanoi, Vietnam, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
A merchant carries goods that she bought at Long Bien Market, one of the largest wholesale markets in Hanoi, in Hanoi, Vietnam, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
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US Reportedly Pushes Vietnam to Decouple from Chinese Tech

A merchant carries goods that she bought at Long Bien Market, one of the largest wholesale markets in Hanoi, in Hanoi, Vietnam, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
A merchant carries goods that she bought at Long Bien Market, one of the largest wholesale markets in Hanoi, in Hanoi, Vietnam, May 28, 2025. REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa

The United States is pushing Vietnam in tariff talks to reduce the use of Chinese tech in devices that are assembled in the country before being exported to America, three people briefed on the matter said.

Vietnam is home to large manufacturing operations of tech firms such as Apple and Samsung, which often rely on components made in China. Meta and Google also have contractors in Vietnam that produce goods such as virtual reality headsets and smartphones.

The Southeast Asian nation has been organizing meetings with local businesses to boost the supply of Vietnamese parts, with firms showing willingness to cooperate but also warning they would need time and technology to do so, according to one person with knowledge of the discussions.

The Trump administration has threatened Vietnam with crippling tariffs of 46% which could significantly limit access for Vietnam-made goods to their main market and upend the Communist-run country's export-oriented growth model.

Vietnam has been asked "to reduce its dependency on Chinese high-tech," said one person familiar with the discussions. "That is part of the restructuring of supply chains and would in turn reduce US dependency on Chinese components," the person added.

The ultimate objective is to speed up US decoupling from Chinese high-tech while increasing Vietnam's industrial capacity, a second person said, citing virtual reality devices as an example of Vietnam-assembled products that are too dependent on Chinese technology.

All sources declined to be identified as the discussions were confidential. Reuters was not able to learn if the US has proposed numerical targets such as caps on Chinese content for "Made in Vietnam" goods or different tariff rates based on the amount of Chinese content.

Apple, Samsung, Meta and Google did not reply to Reuters requests for comment.
As the US-imposed deadline of July 8 nears before the tariffs take effect, the timing and scope of a possible deal remain unclear.

All sources stressed that while the US has made broader requests for Vietnam to reduce its reliance on China, tackling the issue of Chinese high-tech content in exports was a key priority.

Last year, China exported around $44 billion of tech such as electronics components, computers and phones to Vietnam, about 30% of its total exports to the country.

Vietnam shipped $33 billion of tech goods to the United States or 28% of the US-bound exports. Both flows are on the rise this year, according to Vietnam's customs data.

Vietnam's trade ministry did not reply to Reuters requests for comment. Separate sources have previously said that US demands were seen as "tough" and "difficult" by Vietnamese negotiators.

The US also wants Vietnam to crack down on the practice of shipping Chinese goods to America with misleading "Made in Vietnam" labels that draw lower duties - which Vietnam is also trying to heed.

The ministry said on Sunday that a third round of talks last week in Washington ended with progress, but critical issues remain unresolved.

Vietnam's ruling Communist Party chief To Lam intends to meet US President Donald Trump in the United States, possibly in late June, officials with knowledge of the matter said. No date has been announced for the trip.

The White House and Vietnam's foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the possible visit.

NOT TOO FAST

Local firms attending meetings organized by the trade ministry in recent weeks expressed a general willingness to adapt, but many warned that instant changes "would destroy business", according to one of the sources.

Vietnam has been slowly developing an industrial ecosystem with local suppliers but it has a long way to go before it can match China's advanced supply chains and cheaper pricing, industry executives say.

"Vietnam is about 15–20 years behind China in somewhat fully replicating its supply chain scale and sophistication, but it's catching up fast, especially in key sectors like textiles and electronics," said Carlo Chiandone, a Vietnam-based supply chain expert.

Abrupt changes to existing practices may hurt Vietnam's delicate relationship with China, which is both a major investor in its Southeast Asian neighbor and a source of security concerns.