U.S. women’s gymnastics has fallen from its glory days in ’96, when it nabbed Olympic gold. So USA Gymnastics has brought back legendary gymnastics coach Bela Karolyi, who retired after the ’96 Olympics. You probably remember Karolyi as the big bear of a guy who scooped up injured gymnast Kerri Strug after she landed her heroic vault in the ’96 Games. Plus, he’s famous for building champions Nadia Comaneci and Dominique Moceanu (shown in their beginning days at left). Now he has 10 months to get the current women’s team in shape for the 2000 Games. He’ll oversee the team’s training and conditioning – and, gymnastics experts say, use his famous brand of motivation that relies partly on fear. (Even fans, like Moceanu, say he’s really intimidating!)
