The Romanian women gymnastics team pose with the Olympic circles at their training centre in...

The Romanian women gymnastics team pose with the Olympic circles at their training centre in Deva, 450 kms West of Bucharest. From L to R (top) are: Simona Amanar, Maria Olaru, Andreea Isarescu, (middle): Loredana Boboc and Andreea Raducanu, (bottom): Claudia Presecan and Andreea Ulmeanu. [Their coach, Octavian Bellu, has instilled a new philosophy of excellence into his country's world champion team -- that the gold at Sydney will come only if they get the best of themselves -- which reverses the old communist-era school of thought that top performers are medal-making machines, with no life of their own. (Picture taken August 18, 2000) ]