Bellu, Bitang come back to coach Romanian women’s gymnastics team

Gymnastics coaches Octavia Bellu and Mariana Bitang are coming back at the helm of the national women’s gymnastics team in an attempt to help the Romanian female gymnasts qualify for the next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The decision comes after Romania’s women’s team failed to reach the final of the world championships in Glasgow, finishing in 13th place. That means they have to qualify for the Olympics through a test event in April.

The Youth and Sports Ministry on Tuesday evening informed that the two veteran coaches return to train the women’s gymnastics team.

“Following discussions with the Romanian Gymnastics Federation and with the ministry’s representatives, coaches Mariana Bitang and Octavian Bellu, having a track record of over 400 medals, decided to come back at the helm of the national gymnastics team, thus supporting the gymnasts’ training until the pre-Olympics tour in April 2016. Coaches Mariana Bitang and Octavian Bellu decided to suspend collaboration with the Romanian Gymnastics Federation in April 2014, amid extremely serious family problems,” reads a press release of the Youth and Sports Ministry.

Mariana Bitang and Octavian Bellu are two of the country’s best-known gymnastics figure, coaching the team through four Olympics, 12 world championships and nine European championships. Bellu was the main trainer for Romania’s women from 1990 to 2005, with Bitang joining it in 1993. Octavian Bellu set the world record as the Most Successful Coach.