Gymnastics Australia has announced that Mihai Brestyan has accepted the position of Australia's women's national team coach, effective immediately.

Brestyan's storied coaching career spans 40 years, and he has coached national teams in Romania, Israel, and the United States. He recently coached Aly Raisman ​to back-to-back Olympic team gold medals in 2012 and 2016, along with several individual Olympic medals.

Brestyan will lead the strategic direction for Australian women's gymnastics to build sustained international success. He will be working specifically with Australia's senior and junior national squad athletes at national camps hosted at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Sam McKay, the president of Gymnastics Australia, said he is pleased to welcome Brestyan at this exciting time for the sport in Australia. Following recent success at the World Cup event in Melbourne, the program is looking to build on that momentum.

We are thrilled a coach with the experience and proven results of Mihai will be guiding our next generation of gymnasts and coaches as we look towards the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast next year and the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 and beyond.

Gymnastics Australia CEO, Mark Rendell, noted that the organization was determined to appoint a coach with qualifications, international standing, and past success like that of Brestyan, who has taken his athletes to podium performances at the past three Olympic Games.

Brestyan opened his own club in 2000 and will be leaving behind an impressive legacy in the U.S. as one of the most esteemed coaches and club owners in the nation.

This is a new chapter and an exciting challenge,"  Brestyan said. "I'm looking forward to sharing my learnings and experiences with the athletes and coaches in Australia and guiding women's gymnastics to a leading gymnastics nation.