Octavian Belu

Octavian Bellu
Octavian Bellu in 2011
Born	17 February 1951 (1951-02-17) (age 66) Ploieşti, Romania
Nationality	Romanian

Octavian Ioan Atanase Bellu (Romanian pronunciation: [oktaviˈan ˈbelu]; born 17 February 1951) is the current head of the Romanian national women's artistic gymnastics team.

He was the main coach, with interruptions, from 1990 to 2005 and returned as head of the national team in 2010.

Highly successful, Bellu led the team to five world and two Olympic titles, as well as coaching numerous individual gold medalists – since 1990, Romania has been the most successful women's gymnastics power. He also coached such accomplished gymnasts as Lavinia Miloșovici, Andreea Răducan, Monica Roșu, Simona Amânar, Gina Gogean, Cătălina Ponor, Sandra Izbașa and Larisa Iordache. During his time as head coach, his teams have combined to win 82 world (59) and Olympic (23) medals.

In 2007, the World Record Academy recognized Bellu as the world's most successful coach, with 16 Olympic gold medals and a total of 279 medals at the European and World Championships and Olympic Games. He was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in May 2009.

Bellu started out in gymnastics as a gymnast at Petrolul Ploieşti Sport Club and dedicated 13 years to the sport. Admittedly, he was an average gymnast and had troubles because of his height. He also played volleyball and basketball and took up diving. In 1974, he graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Institute in Bucharest, where he studied the technical aspects of the sport, methodology and training. After graduation, he worked for five years as a teacher of physical education at Valea Cǎlugǎreascǎ. At the same time, he worked as a part-time coach for young girls at the club where he was previously enrolled as a gymnast. In 1978–1979, he gave up his teaching position to become a full-time coach at Petrolul Ploieşti and then at a club in Bacǎu.