ECh Sofia - Review of the senior event finals

Senior team finals review

The senior event finals are held on the last day of the 30th Women’s European Artistic Gymnastics Championships. The finals are planned in Olympic order: vault - uneven bars - beam - floor exercise. Like in the junior competition, Russia and Great Britain won the most medals.

First score on vault was set by Giulia Steingruber (SUI). The defending European champion on this apparatus performed a handspring layout with 1,5 twists, she’s the only gymnast in this tournament performing that vault, and how! Her second vault is only a mainstream full twisting Yurchenko, but with the highest execution score of the final (9,133)!  Larissa Iordache (ROU) can follow her country mate Sandra Izbasa towards a  European gold. Yurchenko with double twist and tsukahara with full twist only leads to the bronze medal. With one gymnast to go, Ana Pavlova (AZE) knows it’s her time to shine. The former Russian gymnast has a reputation on vault and sticks her double twisting Yurchenko vault. Her second vault is a roundoff half on, half off… The crowd raised because her score was high enough to get the silver medal!

Senior vault results

1. Steingruber (SUI) 14,666 (15,200-14,133)

2. Pavlova (AZE) 14,583 (14,766-14,400)

3. Iordache (ROU) 14,533 (14,866-14,200)

The final on uneven bars was one to remember forever! Surprisingly Iordache (ROU) qualified for this final, although bars is not her best apparatus, it proves her level of gymnastics. She became sixth. Tunney (GBR) is the first one to set a score to beat, with an exercise that reminds us of Elisabeth Tweddle. After her, Spiridonova (RUS) brings a very difficult exercise to a good end, she shows good vertical handstand lines each time. Bui (GER) and Popa (ESP) can’t do any better. 

Aliya Mustafina (RUS) has a certain reputation on bars and showed it. She makes a lot of combinations: stalder full to pak salto, full turn info full twisting double dismount. She overrules her country mate and outdoes her with a good 15-score. Rebecca Downie (GBR) qualified as first gymnast together with Mustafina, 15,100 and the Russian did better than in qualifications. The British gymnast showed her quality upgrading her exercise with 0,4 in difficulty. She showed a lot of first class flight elements: clear hip circle to piked Tkatchev and Tkatchev to pak salto. With a stuck full in double layout she got the gold medal.

Senior uneven bars results

1. Downie (GBR) 15,500

2. Mustafina (RUS) 15,266

3. Spiridonova (RUS) 14,966

On beam, the fans were looking forward to the performances of the Romanian gymnasts. Iordache showed a excellent tucked salto with full twist. And with a stuck landing on her triple twisting dismount, she ended just behind Kharenkova (RUS). The Russian performed just before her, and made just one mistake. She had the same difficulty as Iordache. Cleaner in execution, she got the gold. Mustafina looked like she was making up her exercise on the spot: great differences with the qualifications. A less higher difficulty note brought her to the third place, even with the best execution of the beam finalists. 

The Polish Marta Pihan-Kulesza deserves a special mention: as the oldest finalist, she brought the finest artistic exercise of the final. Further we mention the planche mount from Vanessa Ferrari (ITA) and the split mount from Rebecca Downie (GBR). 

Senior beam results

1. Kharkenkova (RUS) 14,933

2. Iordache (ROU) 14,800

3. Mustafina (RUS) 14,733

The floor final entertained the audience the most, with a tie on the first place… The new floor from Janssen-Fritsen is extremely bouncy, so the gymnasts can perform more difficult tumbling passes. The first two gymnasts end as a tie, Marta Pihan-Kulesza (POL) and Bulimar (ROU) both got the 14,400. Pihan-Kulesza really danced through her exercise on the pink panther.

Steingrubers (SUI) exercise only contained double tucks: full twisting double layout, double layout, double pike and double tuck. She ends up fourth. Meanwhile Iordache had already set the best score so far, even though she looked very tired after her exercise. It is logical that she is tired since she competed a lot the last week: she was in all finals - the team final and all four event finals. The Italian crowd really supported Vanessa Ferrari during her difficult exercise, a lot of twisting and double tucks in her routine! She ties with Iordache for the first place.

Senior floor exercise results

1. Iordache (ROU) 14,800

1. Ferrari (ITA) 14,800

3. Steingruber (SUI) 14,500

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

ECh Sofia - Women's team final

Great Britain to win first team gold?

On today’s schedule of the European Championships: exciting women’s team final! The top three countries of the qualifications were very close at the qualifications. Can Great Britain maintain the first spot? Can Russia do a little better? What can Romania do without 3 falls? Behind these three, it will be an interesting battle for the other places. 

Today’s competition happens to be the main competition of this women’s European Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Based on the qualifications, it promises to be very a thriving struggle. Great Britain surprised to qualify as first team (172,147). They showed great vaults and are very consistent on bars. Not falling on beam, they manage the first place. 

Can the British manage to stay on top? Romania (171,130) counted three falls during the competiton and still are the second qualifier. Without falls they are capable of winning this team final. Russia (170,621) hasn't got a lot of their key gymnasts, and managed to have the third place. Some of their all-around specialists are injured, forcing to select others in their place. Maybe Mustafina can inspire them to go beyond their limits and do better…

In their slipstream, other countries combat for the fourth place. Italy (166,928) didn’t do a strong bars-passage, leaving them fourth during qualifications. If they manage to get the level of their podium training, they really can do better. Germany (166,695) wasn’t very outstanding, but consistent over the whole line of the qualifications.

Surprisingly Belgium (162,630) made the final with very artistic exercises. Maybe not today, but in future they have a very promising team! Also the qualification of Switzerland (163,663) was surprising, but with the strong lead of Giulia Steingruber they were very elegant performing. Spain (162,271) was led by Roxana Popa to a 8th qualifying spot.

Note: only 8 countries could qualify, leaving the Netherlands, France and Poland out. It’s gonna be a high level competition!

Today’s women’s European Artistic Gymnastics team final! At 15h00 local time (EET). 

Livestream to be found here (click 'live').

ECh Sofia - Junior individual AA-final

First final: Junior all-around final

Today the 24 best junior women compete for the individual all-around title. In wednesdays qualifications the Russian women topped the ranking, though the Romanian and Brittish gymnasts came close . Who will confirm her score? Who will cope best with the stress?

Again this year, the Russian domination seems to continue. Angelina Melnikova lead the qualifications with 56,699. She is the current Russian champion, what's an impressive fact - she's only a first-year junior. Close behind her comes countrymate Seda Tutkhalyan (56,332). It’s looking forward to their vaults  and uneven bars exercises, where they already had stunning performances! 

The rise of the British gymnastics is now also clearly remarkable in the junior category. Wednesday they became the silver medallist in the team final, today they have two outstanding gymnasts in the all-around final. Both of them had some minor mistakes on beam and uneven bars, but were outstanding on floor and vault. Look forward to Elissa Downie (54,941) and Catherine Lyons (54,932) with the wondering how active the public will be today! 

According tradition, also Romania has good gymnasts, Laura Jurca (55,641) and Andreea Iridon (53,965) both defend the Romanian colors. In their slipstream, also Tabia Alt (GER - 54,866) and Loan His (FRA - 54,499) ended up close. What do they do today? Can they step up some places?

Finals begin at 15h00 local time (EET).

Find here the list of the qualifiers

Find here the start lists.

Ech Sofia - Preview senior women qualification

Rusland and Romania on top, who follows?

On the second day of this European Championships, the senior women show their gymnastic skills. In teams of 5 gymnasts per country the best 8 teams qualify for the teams final. Also the gymnasts with the best apparatus scores come back in the event finals. 

The first gymnasts begin the day at 10.00 am local time (EET), including Ukrain and Bulgaria. The Bulgarian senior team looked very confident earlier this week, officially representing the organizing country. The favorites for the tare the same as the junior ones: Russia and Romania. However Russia didn’t compete any international team competition this year, they have outstanding gymnasts performing. Great-Brittain heading up in their backyard with a very well balanced team. Also Belgium, France and Germany have chances to make the team final on saturday.

Each country can contain 5 gymnasts, 3 of them compete at each apparatus and those 3 scores count. There is no individual all-around ranking this year, only event finals for every apparatus. 

In those event finals, a lot of beautiful things will come to us. The Russians are also individually very strong, are there some other gymnasts who can outscore them? Is Alyia Mustafina still the world-class star she used to be? What can the Romanians do on their specialist apparatus, beam? Can Giulia Steingruber (SUI) defend her title on vault? The competition looks promising!

Schedule of the day - 15th of may 2014

Subdivision 1: Norway, Azerbaijan, Finland, Sweden, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Latvia. 

Subdivision 2: Lithuania, Luxembourg, Croatia, Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Georgia and Cyprus.

Subdivision 3: Ireland, Iceland, Belarus, Portugal, Turkey, Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, Israel and the Nederlands

Subdivision 4: Germany, Russia, Romania, Belgium, Spain, Great-Britain, France and Italy.

In the first week of the European championships, the senior and junior women compete for several European titles. Junior women compete a team competition, an individual all-around competition and event finals on every apparatus. The senior women only have a team competition and individual event finals. 

14 may 2014 - Junior qualifications + team competition

15 may 2014 - Senior qualifications

16 may 2014 - Junior individual All-around competition

17 may 2014 - Senior team competition

18 may 2014 - Junior + senior apparatus finals

The men have their European championships in the consecutive week. 

ECh Sofia - Preview junior competition

Russia and Romania, Junior team favorites

At the first day of the Sofia Women European Artistic Gymnastic Championships , the junior women come into action. They compete in teams, a medal ceremony awards the best three at the and of the day. Gymnasts can qualify in this team competition for the individual all-around final on friday and the event finals on sunday.

The first subdivision of the team competition starts at 10.00 o’clock local time (EET) with some minor countries. The medal contenders for the team competition compete in the last subdivision. Tradition points out that Romania and Russia dominate the junior field, also this year they have the best team results so far. Contenders strive for the third place are numerous, based upon results of this year. Great-Britain, France, Italy and Germany also have a certain tradition in the junior women and showed this year very similar team results, whereas Belgium is an underdog. 

Each country can have 5 junior gymnasts in the team, of which 4 compete at each apparatus. The best 3 scores count for the results. Junior women are born in 1999 and 2000. 36 countries present gymnasts, 26 of them have a complete team.

Also in the individual all-around competition Russian and Romanian gymnasts outstand the field. Angelina Melnikova and Seda Tutkhalyan ar both individual favorites for Russia. Romania has Andreea Iridon and Laura Jurca. The gap with the rest of the field is thight: also Great-Brittain had a lot of gymnast who score 55 points or more: Tyesha Mattis and Amy Tinkler. 

It looks a promising competition. For most of the junior gymnasts this European championships are the first big international competition. How will they behave performing on a podium?  Can they cope with the stress? This juniors will turn seniors for the Rio de Janairo Olympic games in 2016. Will they make the national team?

Schedule of the day  - 14th of May 2014

Subdivision 1 - 10h00 : Israël, Hungary, Slovenia, Denmark, Azerbeijan, Belarus, Austria and Ireland.

Subdivision 2 - 12h10 : Georgia,  Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Norway, Spain, Lithuania, Cyprus, Finland, Belgium, Sweden and Slovakia.

Subdivision 3 - 15h20 : Iceland, Portugal, Latvia, Croatia, Czech republic, Turkey, Greece, Poland and Switzerland

Subdivision 4 - 17h30 : France, the Netherlands, Russia, Germany, Romania, Ukrain, Great-Britain and Italy

19h45 medal ceremony

In the first week of the European championships, the senior and junior women compete for several European titles. Junior women compete a team competition, an individual all-around competition and event finals on every apparatus. The senior women only have a team competition and individual event finals. 

14 may 2014 - Junior qualifications + team competition

15 may 2014 - Senior qualifications

16 may 2014 - Junior individual All-around competition

17 may 2014 - Senior team competition

18 may 2014 - Junior + senior apparatus finals

The men have their European championships in the consecutive week. 

BK AGH, B-niveau Blauwput

Dit weekend staan de Belgische kampioenschappen op het programma, sportgroep Vaste Vuist Lauwe verzorgt een prima organisatie! Gisteren turnde Jimi Verbaeys zit al naar de tweede plaats in het officiële senioren-kampioenschap. Hij eindigde achter Thomas Neuteleers. Vandaag staan de wedstrijden van de coupe KBT gepland, de Belgische kampioenschappen voor het B-nvieau!

Onze jongste jongens zijn er alvast klaar voor!

Zilveren Kobe

In de miniemen B is Kobe Godts onze titelkandidaat. Vorig jaar eindigde hij als tweede op het Belgische kampioenschap… Het belooft een spannende strijd te worden. 

Aan de brug turnt Kobe een goede oefening, zonder veel grote fouten. Ook rekstok bezorgt hem geen problemen. Door de vele gymnasten, wordt er gewerkt met een rustrotatie tussen de rekstok en de grond, wat hem even tijd geeft om zich te focussen en te rusten. Op vloer turnt hij overslag salto, salto-zweefrol en rondat-flik-salto, met een neiging tot buiten stappen… maar blijft binnen! Aan’t paard is hij foutloos, met een hoge score voor uitvoering. Ondertussen staat hij op een veelbelovende tweede plaats met nog twee toestellen te gaan… Aan de ringen gebeurt het dan, optrekken tot steun met wat haperen, zou hij tot boven gaan? Hij zet door en werkt daarna zijn oefening af. Als laatste de sprong… De tsukahara is een sprong waarvan hij al eens schrik had de voorbije weken. Hij loopt vastberaden aan, zet af, draait rugwaarts en staat! Kleine pas en 85,650 punten in totaal. 

Kobe neemt hiermee de tweede plaats in beslag, knap werk!

Uitslag Miniemen B1. Vanrijkelen Matthijs (Gymteam Sint-Niklaas, 90,250)

2. Godts Kobe (Blauwput, 85,650)

3. Caponi Matteo (Olympia Houthalen, 84,950)

Bronzen Lars

Bij de Benjamins B hebben we meerdere deelnemers: Thibeau Strauven, Oscar Vanden Auweele en Victor Marchand als tweedejaars, samen met Lars Godts, die een jaartje jonger is. 

Het eerste toestel is voor hen het paard, hier gooien ze allen hoge ogen! Oscar haalt de hoogste score op uitvoering van het deelnemersveld, 9,7 betekent slechts 0,3 aftrek! In zijn ringoefening laat hij mooie zwaaien zien, die laten zien waarom hij zich als tweede heeft gekwalificeerd! Aan sprong heeft hij een moeilijke sprong: overslag met schroef. Hierbij moest hij even de knie aan de grond zetten, desondanks heeft hij nog een goede score. De brug bezorgt hem geen problemen, zijn zwaaien zijn daar ruimschoots hoog genoeg. De rekstok begon goed, maar zijn achteropzet onderzwaai is niet perfect gestrek. Hij herpakt zich aan vloer, zet een mooie eenvoudige oefening neer en klokt af op. 

Met 79,700 punten laat hij zien dat hij nog veel in zijn mars heeft, hij turnt immers nog zeker niet de moeilijkste oefeningen, maar werkt uiterst goed af! Proficiat!

Victor is de krachtpatser van de groep. Hij trekt zich perfect op in de ringen, en laat vervolgens zijn kracht zien, hoeksteun, schouderstand, gevolgd door een perfecte plank - wat zijn oefeningetje een hogere moeilijkheid geeft. Daarvoor liet hij al erg mooie kreitsen op het laag paard laten zien. Aan sprong springt hij eruit met een mooie overslag. De brugoefening is erg solide, hij zwaait zelfs tot handenstand! Aan rek turnt hij niet het moeilijkste oefeningetje, maar wel erg mooi. Hij staat in de top drie na vijf toestellen… Kan hij het nog houden? De grond geeft hem geen problemen, hij werkt mooi zijn B5-je af. Met 80,300 punten plaatst hij zich (weeral) op de 4e plaats… Een ondankbare plaats, maar des te verdiend!

Thibeau had van de vier jongens niet de hoogste score in de kwalificaties, maar was er duidelijk op gebrand om hier iets aan te doen! Hij begint erg geconcentreerd aan het paard, maar moest één kreits voor het einde even stoppen. Aan ringen en sprong laat hij wel zijn klasse zien! De gesprongen overslag staat hij, zonder pasje! De brug is een beetje een zorgenkindje, het komt wat geforceerd over, maar springt wel goed af. Met een kleine stop aan de rekstok na de kip, werpt hij wel goed op en gaat op een goed elan verder. Thibeau krijgt de eer om als laatste gymnast van de hele wedstrijd aan de grond te werken, hij turnt B3 onder de ogen van het hele publiek! Een mooie oefening als einde van een mooi seizoen.

Met 75,800 punten laat hij zien dat hij wel veel in zich heeft, maar nog wel wat te leren op afwerking!

Als jongste poulain van de hoop, laat Lars erg veel potentieel zien door zich de hele wedstrijd vanboven in het klassement te zetten. Aan paard heeft hij erg mooie kreitsen op het lage paard, een oefeningetje minder dan in de kwalificaties, maar wel meer punten! Aan de ringen werkt hij ietwat moeizamer zich tot steun, maar werkt met goede houdingen zijn oefening af. Op sprong is zijn overslag niet zo technisch perfect, maar zet alles op alles en komt tot zijn beste overslag van het seizoen! Aan brug wilt hij graag Moy tot steun lukken, maar tot bovenarmlg is een zekere keuze. Hij zwaait zich mooi uit de brug. Aan de rekstok eveneens geen grote fouten. Na vijf van de zes toestellen staat hij ook in de top 3… kan hij het houden? Vloer is zijn laatste toestel, overslag-salto tot stand, salto-zweefrol tot spagaat, rondat-flik-hurksalto…

82,350 punten brengen hem tot de 3e plaats, een ongelooflijke prestatie voor een eerstejaars benjamin! 

Uitslag Benjamins B

1. Schellens Juul (Thor Zichem, 87,450)

2. Deforche Thijs (Go4gym, 84,750)

3. Godts Lars (Blauwput, 82,350)

4. Marchand Victor (Blauwput, 80,300)

5. Vanden Auweele Oscar (Blauwput, 79,700)

15. Strauven Thibeau (Blauwput, 75,800)

Hieronder volgend enkele foto’s van de enthousiastelingen op het podium!