Comaneci says inexperience no bar to Romania

BUCHAREST, Oct 10 (Reuters) Lack of experience will be no handicap for Romania's female gymnasts at the world championships, former Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci says.

Romania's depth of talent meant the team would be capable of fighting favourites the United States for the team gold in Aarhus, Denmark, where the championships open on Friday, Comaneci said.

''Something tells me that despite its lack of experience, Romania will be again the strongest opponent of the United States in their fierce fight for the world gold,'' Comaneci told reporters this week.

''I'm fully confident that this team can shine in Aarhus as successive Romanian teams did on so many previous occasions.

''Even second place after the United States, who are very strong now, would mean a great win for Romania,'' said Comaneci, who won five Olympic gold medals at the 1976 and 1980 Games.

''It will show that my country is an undrained spring of talent.'' TEAM DISBANDED Coach Nicolae Forminte, who has had to pick up the pieces after the successful women's team disbanded and its coaches resigned, is rather more cautious than Comaneci about the prospects for Aarhus.

''It's true that we go to win a medal but this performance will be difficult to accomplish,'' Forminte told Reuters.

Romania was once one of the most successful countries in women's gymnastics and collected four gold medals at the 2004 Athens Olympics, including the team title.

Controversial long-time coaches Octavian Belu and Mariana Bitang resigned last year after triple Olympic champion Catalina Ponor and two team mates went nightclubbing until the small hours without permission.

The team were disbanded, though Ponor went back to work with a former coach who helped her to prepare for last year's world championships in Melbourne, where her only medal was a beam bronze.

Ponor quit the sport in April after winning gold on the beam at the European championships in Athens, leaving the 16-year-old Sandra Izbasa to shoulder the responsibility of leading the team in Aarhus.

NATIONAL TITLES Izbasa, European champion on the floor, will be joined by Steliana Nistor, Dana Druncea, Elena Chiric, Loredana Sucar, all 16, and Floarea Leonida, 19.

Last month, Izbasa won the national titles on floor, balance beam and vault, while Nistor won the asymmetric bars.

Forminte, who had a squad of only seven top-level gymnasts from which to pick his six for the competition, believes he is putting his career on the line in Aarhus.

''It is not a secret that I play for my career at these worlds,'' said Forminte who has had to adopt a new approach to training after complaints about the iron discipline imposed by Belu and Bitang.

''My strategy is to cooperate with my girls not to impose endless efforts during hard training at any price,'' he said.

The coach would, however, like to trust Comaneci's judgement.

''Nadia has a good eye,'' he said. ''She watched my youngsters competing and if she says that they are good, then they are really good.'' Reuters AY GC1000