exclusive:

German version

GY Mmedia: --Your gymnasts have won extraordinary three nations competition against Spain (151,212) and Germany (147.848) with 154,862 points in Berlin-Henningsdorf, nevertheless you have no satisfied looking?

Octavian Belu: I'm satisfied with my team only partial. Because my girls made mistakes, too. At this friendship nations competition it is still overlooked and also scored favorable. There was no strictness of world championships. It is full 2 months before wolrlds so such inaccuracies are normal. But till Tianjin we must work for stability and whole performance.

GY Mmedia: --Please give us a word for German gymnasts, who has many anxieties and dissatisfactions in former times in their field?

Octavian Belu:  I heard that they are not worlds-squad, some are reserved and some are injured. Three achievement holder (Yvonne Pioch from Berlin, Lisa Brueggemann and Birgit Schweigert from Cologne) were missing. But there was bright outlook, too. Katrin Kewitz showed terrific new mount (handspring front- tucked front) And Dagmar Fehrenschildt has qualities to be very good gymnast.

GY Mmedia: --There's a hard discussion in Germany that German team can't make it again, to be qualified for Olympic games (like 1995 Sabae) . How do you see that?

Octavian Belu:  Logically it would be, when they would make it. At tradition, potential and possibility! Since Atlanta 1996 I've seen all teams, all that were under best 12 in Atlanta. You must use a good strategy now in Tianjin, to make it really success this time. Spain and Australia became strongly better. Canada performed on the level with the US. Every team, who want to be under the best 12, shouldn't surrender from the start. It is also valid for Germans, who fought well at this nations competition. I say always; without fight no success. Only beauty in gymnastic is not enough.

GY Mmedia: --There's a proverb of "Good things are three" in Germany. You became world champion in 94 Dortmund, 95 Sabae, and 97 Lausanne with your team in a row.
Do you have the titles enough?

Octavian Belu:  As for "Good things are three" it's over. Because 1987 in Rotterdam I've won with our gymnasts at the first time. I don't misunderstand, that we are goin
g to win in Tianjin again. And many times after that.

GY Mmedia: --But for that the condition must meet and also huge support through politics and economy. How is that in Romania, after the political change of 1989?

Octavian Belu:  We get all what we need. Our sports minister Antonescu gives us a optimal support. Since two years whole coordination is in the hand of NOC and their president Ion Tiriac. Former discus thrower Lia Malinou died and Ion Tiriac, who was once a world famous tennis player and a manager, made a new form of su
pport. Our sponsor became ROM-Telecom.

GY Mmedia: --To have success, to satisfy politics, NOC, sponsor and residents, you must train maximal. How many hours do Romanian national team gymnast in a week?

Octavian Belu:  7 hours in a day. The best 20 gymnasts gather in archievement training center in Deva.

(That is 42 hours in a week at 6 training days ! In comparison: German gymnasts seldom train over 30 hours in a week. Edit.)

GY Mmedia: --What is your plan till world championships in Tianjin?

Octavian Belu:  We go to the Black Sea from here for a rest. On 19th July there's a duell meet with Great Britain. My friend Adrian Stan is head coach there. With his gymnasts we train for 1 month and in the middle of August Italian gymnasts come to us, too. On 28th August there's a nation meet of Italy, England, and Romania in Trieste. After national championship on 5th September in Sibiu, we choose the member for world championship.

GY Mmedia: --What is your as a coach?

Octavian Belu:  "Never enough"

GY Mmedia: --Aren't you never satisfied?

Octavian Belu:  I am not satisfied yet. I don't know what that will be.

GY Mmedia: --Thank you, Mr. Belu. Have a good rest at the Black Sea and wish your team success at worlds in Tianjin!

(For GY Mmedia:
Report:  Hans-Jürgen Zeume/
Translation:  Norbert Kuhn (Rom.)
Kerry Bleasdale (Engl.)
Red.online:  Eckhard Herholz)