Most successful coaches (Duo): world record set by Mariana Bitang and Octavian Bellu
Mariana Bitang (born August 3, 1962 in Râmnicu Sărat) was a coach for the Romanian national women's artistic gymnastics team. Along with her partner, Octavian Bellu, she helped Romania win five consecutive team gold medals at the World Championships from 1994 to 2001 and team gold medals at the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics.
The Specialist's Opinion
"It takes a lot to be a successful coach. To win consistently, you need to be an exceptional motivator, a near-genius tactician, and by far the hardest working person at the club. There are some coaches that have stood head and shoulders above the rest, leading their teams to success upon success."
"The success of the Romanian gymnastics school over three decades was based on: a team of professionals at the level of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation (among them: Maria Simionescu, Atanasia Albu, Gheorghe Vieru, Anca Grigoras, Maria Login, Adrian Stoica, Toma Pradatu); the consistent support from the Romanian government (at least until the mid-2000s); the source of talented and ambitious children, eager to follow on Nadia Comaneci footsteps and, above all, a team of coaches (Octavian Bellu and Mariana Bitang) totally dedicated to the profession, located at the top of the pyramid. They helped the gymnasts trained at the local clubs to move from the level of top gymnasts to the elite of elites," says Ramona Nita, Sport Editor at World Record Academy.
"The major success of the two coaches consists in the fact that they knew how to follow in the footsteps of Nadia Comaneci, 'The Deer from the Carpathians', with dozens of girls which were later called by the fans 'Belu's squirrels' for the ease with which they evolved on the gymnastic apparatus and the childish candor that made them beloved all over the world."
"Starting from the 80's, the hardest years for communist Romania, when the Romanians had a hard time facing a period of deprivation and continuing with the 90's, when they saw that everything they had built was demolished, including in sports, the Romanians still had a pride in the successes of gymnasts who obtained medals after medals at international competitions,"says Ramona Nta, National Athletic Champion, Professional Coach and Sport Editor at World Record Academy.Their dedication
Their (Octavian Bellu and Mariana Bitang) dedication and commitment to excellence have meant the key to success for Romanian gymnastics.
"If Romania had football coaches of similar value (of Bellu and Bitang), then Romania would have been the world football champion for twenty years or so, and Messi would have been a Romanian, called Mihai. If Romania had politicians of the same level, then Romania was richer than Switzerland, stronger than the United States and more wanted by tourists than Bora Bora. This is just to get an idea of what the right person at the right place and time means," says Ramona Nita.
This world record is dedicated to thousands of Romanian gymnasts, coaches and specialists who, for three decades, have maintained Romanian gymnastics at the highest level. It is dedicated to girls who have spent thousands of hours practicing, even if they have not reached the top level.
Related links:
Top 100 iconic world records: ROMANIA
Most successful women coach: world record set by Maria Bitang
Most Successful Coach: world record set by Octavian Bellu
First perfect 10 at the Olympics: Nadia Comaneci sets world record (Video)
Cleanest match played in a Wimbledon final: Simona Halep sets world record
The GUINNESS WORLD RECORD for the most gymnastics gold medals won at both the Olympics and World Championships combined is 23, achieved by Simone Biles (USA) from 2013 to 2019.
GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS also recognized the world record for the most consecutive back handsprings (one hand); it is 34 and was achieved by Zama Mofokeng (South Africa) in Tembisa, South Africa, on 4 March 2017.
