Emilia Vătășoiu did not take up gymnastics until the age of 18, but within three years she was representing Romania internationally at the 1954 World Championships. Her next stop was the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, where she won a bronze medal in the team all-around and had a best individual finish of 12th on the balance beam. She would also win bronze in the team all-around at the 1958 World Championships and the 1960 Rome Olympics, whereas she was sixth in that event at her final Olympic appearance in 1964. Following her retirement from active competition, she worked as a gymnastics referee and coach.
Romania