The latest news from camp Romania, according to Romanialibero is that Catalina Ponor and Sandra Izbasa will stay put, training with the Romanian team despite claims to the contrary.  This is good news, considering Ponor as much as said she would be giving up training during one of her post-Olympics pressers.   She did, however, retract some of the things she said in those press sessions and the retirement announcement may have stemmed from disappointment more than concrete intentions.  As for Izbasa, it was not known if she would stay, although she did claim to be missing gymnastics already just days into her post-Olympic holiday.

Bellu and Bitang also look set to stay on at Izvorani (where the senior National team now train), despite rumours otherwise.  The fact that Ponor and Izbasa are committed to continuing in the sport is fabulous news for a team that, while having been very successful this year under B&B’s tutelage, shows an alarming lack of depth.  It is still a matter of time before the up-and-coming juniors are old enough to represent Romania as elites and there are very few gymnasts left on the senior National team, aside from those who represented Romania in London.

For those of you who missed the news, Gabriela Dragoi recently retired as well.  She contributed to the Romania of the Forminte years and was a wonderful gymnast. Aside from the Olympians, there remains Amelia Racea, Raluca Haidu, Diana Trenca and Dana Andrei.

Of course, I am not sure how credible this Romanian site is, but let us hope this is truly the good news it appears to be.

Source: http://www.romanialibera.ro/actualitate/sport/octavian-belu-si-mariana-bitang-raman-la-conducerea-lotului-olimpic-ponor-si-izbasa-se-antreneaza-in-continuare-275947.html 

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