It’s Featured Gymnastics Montage Time (vi)

If you hadn’t noticed, I’m on a bit of a Romanian Nostalgia Kick right now. Ah, for the glory days of Milo, Răducan, and yes, even Ponor. I was amusing myself watching old videos of her and found that I am really quite fond of Miss Cătălina, or at least her pre-2005 self. She is always awfully pretty.

I suppose the biggest reasons why I’m so fond of the Romanians is because:

• They age well. Like cheese and wine. I mean, have you seen them? (I did!) Ponor became loads more beautiful after Athens, even if her attitude didn’t. Even Miloşovici, at thirty-something, is really, really hot. Răducan is a bona fide babe as well, though from recent pictures I think that she would probably like to gain some weight–and may I just say, Andreea my darling, please to stop wearing so much makeup. You’re plenty gorgeous without it.
• The famous sisterly team spirit. It’s so heartwarming to see these girls so happy for each other, whereas the USA, spirited as they can be, usually lack a little something in that department (not that it’s their fault). It was alive in Atlanta, in Sydney, and in Athens, and if tradition stands it’ll be the same in Beijing. (I was too young to pay attention to the television during 1992 Barcelona. Shut up.)

This montage, posted by patterson2006 at Youtube, is a heart-warming testament to that aforementioned sisterly spirit, to the tune of ‘Con te partiro’ featuring Andrea Bocelli (EDIT: and Sarah Brightman–thanks Katrina).

It shows the 2004 Olympic team champions (Ponor, Şofronie, Roşu, Eremia, Ban, Stroescu), and hearkens back to the days when Romania could always counted on to be great (and when Ponor was still likable).

Super-nostalgia.

Aside from the girls mentioned above, it also features Andreea Munteanu, who was supposed to be on the Olympic team but was sadly injured just beforehand (rather like Ana Maria Bican back in 1996), and a humorous shot of Mariana Bitang playing hockey.