ECh Sofia - Review junior event finals

Gold for Great Britain and Russia  

The last day of the women’s tournament starts with the junior women’s event finals. The first eight qualifiers compete individually on each apparatus: vault, uneven bars, beam and floor. Russia, Romania and Great Britain are the teams with more medals in this finals.

On vault, nearly all vaults were of the Yurchenko vault family. It was Jurca (ROU) who set the first score to beat: 14,383 for her full and double twisting Yurchenkos. As the others tried to set their best scores, Tinkler (GBR) got a 14,349 with the same vaults. Her teammate and first qualifier Elissa Downie (GBR) got the highest score with a sky high double twisting Yurchenko and a well executed half on piked front off. 

Vault results

1. Downie (GBR) 14,633 (14,933-14,333)

2. Jurca (ROU) 14,383 (14,766-14,000)

3. Tinkler (GBR) 14,349 (14,733-13,966) 

It was the vault gold medallist, Downie (GBR), who started the uneven bars final. She had a clean routine with a toe on shaposnikova and a stuck double piked dismount. She would end up fifth. As second on the start list, Skrypnik (RUS) set a huge 14,833 score. She had amazing clean lines and only a few breaks in her shaposhnikova and pak salto, continuing with a high piked jeager and a full twisting double back dismount. Melnikova (RUS) showed a few form breaks during her routine, but a difficult exercise that got her the second place. Enderle (GER) executed a beautiful and solid routine and ended up taking the bronze. Very good news for the German team, who has been very solid and original during this championships.

Uneven bars results

1. Skrypnik (RUS) 14,833

2. Melnikova (RUS) 14,766

3. Enderle (GER) 14,500

For the beam final, the crowd looked forward to see the Romanians perform. Unfortunately, Butuc (ROU) fell in her half twisting switch leap, a relatively easy skill that costed her a medal. Her teammate Iridon (ROU) had a clean but wobbling exercise, performing a gorgeous 1,5 twisting Y turn. The crowd screamed for her, she ended up in second place. Melinkova (RUS) performed a high sky back layout, and had very clean and correct lines, getting the first place. Tabea Alt, a promising german gymnast, stuck her double back into a well deserved bronze medal, giving the Germans another reason to celebrate.

Beam results 

1. Melnikova (RUS) 14,575

2. Iridon (ROU) 14,433

3. Alt (GER) 14,200

The new floor of Jansen Fritsen gives the junior women a lot more explosiveness. This floor final was full of artistic showcase, along with very impressive quality tumbling. The Belgian Axelle Klinckaert and the British Catherine Lyons had probably two of the nicests choreographies of this European Championships, performing two beautiful, energetic an emotional exercises. Lyons ended up getting the first place, with the whole crowd getting emotional with her exercise, that she performed dramatically. Gorgeous leaps and clean tumbling was the key for her succes. Tinkler (GBR) really twinkled over the floor with a triple spin, double layout and a beautiful full twisting double back got her a tie with Romanian Andreea Iridon (ROU), who had the highest leaps and the most energetic attitude on floor today. With clean twisting form, she also deserved that silver medal.  

Floor results

1. Lyons (GBR) 14,033

2. Tinkler (GBR) 13,966

2. Iridon (GBR) 13,966