26TH APRIL - TOP GYMNASTS SET FOR EUROPEAN GLORY AS EXCITEMENT BUILDS IN VOLOS FOR TOMORROW’S OPENING ROUNDS!

Top names to look out for at this week’s European Championships

Catalina Ponor (Romania)

Content removed - Ken Summerfield 25th August, 2008

Triple Olympic Champion Catalina Ponor was born on 20 August 1987 in Constanta. Olympic Champion in the Team competition, balance beam, and floor exercise, she has also won four gold medals in European Championships: European Champion in 2004 in the Team competition, balance beam, and floor exercise, plus one in last year’s Europeans on the balance beam. Catalina also won three silver medals in the 2003 World Championships (team competition, balance beam, floor exercise, and the bronze medal on balance beam in last year’s World Championships. After announcing her retirement after this year’s European Championships and her aim to win 2 Gold Medals, she will be determined to retire from competition with a Podium position and once more become European Champion.

Isabelle Severino (France)

Born on 9 April 1980 in Montmorency, Isabelle began to tour along with a troupe of gypsy dancers, performing acrobatic stunts when she was only 7 years old. Her first major success in artistic gymnastics came at the 1996 World Championships, in Puerto Rico, where she won the bronze medal on uneven bars. In 1999 she quit and turned herself into sport aerobic gymnastics, among other things, where she gained international distinctions. In 2003 Isabelle decided to return to artistic gymnastics, with the aim of taking part in the Olympic Games of Athens, which she achieved.  We feel that Isabel’s best is still to come after she won the Gold Medal on Floor in last year’s European’s.

Elizabeth Tweddle (Great Britain)

Content removed - Ken Summerfield 25th August, 2008

Beth was born on 1 April 1985 in Johannesburg, South Africa and she is the most successful gymnast in the history of British women artistic gymnastics. An uneven bars specialist, Beth won two medals in European Championships, bronze in Patras in 2002 and silver in Amsterdam in 2004. Sadly British Gymnastics confirmed tonight that Beth will only be able to compete on her favourite uneven bars after sustaining an ankle injury during her Podium Training in the World Artistic Championships. She also suffered the disappointment of having to withdraw from the apparatus finals of last year’s Europeans, because she got injured during the all around final two days earlier. Beth has also won two medals in the World Championship’s winning bronze medals in 2003 and 2005. She will be determined to medal in her only event at this year’s Championships and we’ll be cheering her on. .

Suzanne Harmes (Netherlands)

Suzanne was born on 10 January 1986 in Zoetermeer. At the 2002 European Championships she won the silver medal on the team competition, however her most significant achievements came last year. During 2005 she won the silver medal on floor exercise at the Debrecen Europeans, as well as the bronze medal on the same apparatus at the Melbourne World Championships.

Verona Van de Leur (Netherlands)

Content removed - Ken Summerfield 25th August, 2008

Verona was born on 27 December 1985 in Gouda. Career highlights include the 2002 European Championships, in Patras, where Verona gained five medals with three silver medals in the team competition, all around, and vault, plus two bronze on balance beam and floor. This followed Verona’s bronze medal on Floor in the 2002 World Championships. Sadly she has suffered from a number of injuries in the last couple of years and fully deserves to succeed in this year’s European’s after displaying great guts and determination .

Alina Kozich (Ukraine)

Content removed - Ken Summerfield 25th August, 2008

Alina was born on 16 December 1987 in Kiev. She shined at the 2004 European Championships, where she won the gold medal on all around competition, denying Russian star Svetlana Khorkina the opportunity to win the European title for the fourth time. In the same tournament, Kozich also won the silver medal in the team competition.

Gold medalists at the 2005 European Senior Championships, held in Debrecen, Hungary, were France's Marine Debauve (all-around); Italy's Francesca Benolli (vault); France's Emilie Le Pennec (uneven bars); Romania's Catalina Ponor (balance beam); and France's Isabelle Severino (floor exercise). The team event was not contested in 2005 and Romania won the last European senior team title, in 2004.

DISAPPOINTMENT FOR ANNA PAVLOVA AS SHE MISSES SELECTION FOR EUROPEAN’S

Content removed - Ken Summerfield - 25th August, 2008

Anna Pavlova was surprisingly left out of the Russian Team who will compete at this week’s European Championships. The All Around Silver Medalist at the 2005 European Championships was not selected following a controlled competition at the World famous Dinamo Gym in Moscow earlier this month. Russian head coach Andrei Rodionenko named the five gymnasts who will compete for Russia as Anna Grudko, Polina Miller, Irina Isayeva, Tatiana Kazantseva and Yulia Lozhechko in a strong line up as Russia look towards Beijing in 2008.

At the Russian National Championships, 18 year old Anna medalled on vault and beam but finished in 7th place in the All Around. This followed disappointing results at the World Championships in Melbourne in November. Anna was interviewed on Russian TV following the Control Competition and said “I have almost completely changed my bars routine to meet the requirements of the new code,  there were some new elements I have never done before. The routine I did before was not suited to the new code, so I had to change it.”

Coach Andrei Rodionenko told the Russian media: ‘Anna Grudko earned her spot through her performances at the Russian Cup. There were no doubts either about Irina Isayeva who competed excellently at the World Cup in Germany, winning two gold medals.’

26TH APRIL - CATALINA PONOR ANNOUNCES HER RETIREMENT AFTER EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP!

CATALINA AIMS FOR 2 GOLD MEDALS IN HER FINAL COMPETITION.

Catalina at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004 Photo copyright of World Gym Art and must not be copied or reproduced without permission.

   Catalina Ponor confirmed this morning that she will retire after this week’s European Championships but vowed to try and win the European Title on Beam for the third consecutive year and to retain the European Team Title which Romania won in 2004.

The Olympic Triple Champion on Beam, Floor and Team Competition said after her Podium Training in Volos, Greece today “ I have an injury problem on my left leg, but I hope that it will not cause me any trouble during the competition. My aim in this European Championships, which will be my last, is to win the gold medal in balance beam for third consecutive year and to retain the team title that we had won in 2004. I hope that I will also be among the challengers on floor exercise, but we will see. My decision to quit gymnastics after the Europeans of Volos is definitive. This is my last performance and I want to enjoy it as much as I can. I don’t know what I will do next. Maybe I will become a coach in Romania or elsewhere, but I’m not sure if I will do it immediately after my retirement. The Nea Ionia sports hall is small, but very good. I believe that it will host a very interesting European Championships”.

Her retirement had been widely predicted after her Coach Matei Stanei announced earlier this month that “Catalina has stated that she has decided to retire after the European Championships. Our goal at Volos will be to win at least a medal in the Apparatus Finals, in order to finish her career in glory”.

We wish Catalina all the very best for her final competition and in her future career and thank you on behalf of all of her millions of fans around the World for some incredible performances and some great memories from one of our all-time favourite gymnasts. It would be wonderful to see her achieve her aim of 2 more Gold medals in her last competition and a fitting tribute to a legend in gymnastics. Don’t miss our great tribute to triple Olympic Champion Catalina’s fabulous career after the this week’s Championship’s

26th April - FEW TICKETS ONLY LEFT FOR WOMEN’S EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS FINALS PLUS FULL COMPETITION SCHEDULE!

Over 70% of tickets have already been sold for tomorrow’s Women’s Qualification Round and Friday’s Junior Women’s Competition and All Around, and there are now just a few remaining tickets left for the European Championships! Don’t miss your chance to see your favourite European male and female gymnasts battle for the European Titles including the farewell appearance of 3 Time Olympic Champion Catalina Ponor!

The tickets are available at Volos 2006 offices, Iasonos 112 in Greece, and from tomorrow the ticket offices outside the Nea Ionia sports hall, where the European Championships are hosted, will be open. Tickets cost only 5 euros for the morning session, 10 euros for the afternoon session – qualification round and 15 euros for the finals. Click here now to see ticket availability and the full schedule for the European Championships!

25th April - European Tumbling Championships 2006

Great Britain Senior and Junior Team Selections Announced!

Above - Wakefield’s Great Britain Tumblers shown with GB Tumbling Coaches Craig Lowther and Zoe Styles and right British Senior Women’s Tumbling Champion Samantha Palmer from Lynx. All photos are copyright.

British Gymnastics have announced that following the tumbling selection events held at Lilleshall and at the British Championships on the 25th March and 22^nd April respectively, the following Tumblers will represent Great Britain at the 18^th Junior and 20^th Senior European Championships. Congratulations to all of the Tumbler’s and good luck at the European Championships which take place in n Metz, France from the 22^nd – 28^th May:-.

Women’s Junior Team:

Rachel Letsche - Warrington

Zara McLean - Wakefield

Jennifer Dawes - Wakefield

Sarah Turner - Wakefield

Women’s Senior Team:

Danielle Bannon - Andover

Zoe McLean - Wakefield

Laura Houson - Wakefield

Samantha Palmer – Lynx

Men’s Junior Team:

Shaun Gregory - Pinewood

Greg Boosey – Richmond

Gary Aspinall - Wakefield

Stephen Newey - Pinewood

Men’s Senior Team:

Glenn Smith - Warrington

Charlie Burrows - Pinewood

Damien Walters – Derby City

Michael Barnes - Wakefield

Officials:

Matei Todorov – Team Manager

Craig Lowther – Head Team Coach

Anne Bidmead – Team Coach

Sally Filmer – Team Coach

Zoe Styles – Team Coach

Joy Sumner – Junior Judge

Claire Thompson – Senior Judge

The Technical Director commented; “Looking at the results to date it is apparent that we have strong teams with both our Senior and Juniors. With such large number of former medallists represented in this team from September 2005 at the World / International Age Group Championships, we can expect some good results and medal possibilities in all disciplines of tumbling”.

Don’t miss all the news and results from the European Championships here on Gymnastics Online plus reactions from top GB Tumblers!

24TH APRIL - DISNEY STICK IT GYM MOVIE OPENS IN USA THIS FRIDAY

CARLY PATTERSON, NASTIA LIUKIN, ALLANA SLATER, TANIA GENER & YANG YUN APPEAR IN NEW GYM FILM

Gym fans all over the USA are gearing up for this weekend’s cinema release of the new Stick It gym movie which features top Olympic and World Championship’s gym stars including 2004 Olympic Champion Carly Patterson and 2005 World Champion on Bars and Beam Nastia Liukin. 

The film also includes double Olympian Allana Slater from Australia who competed in the All Around Finals in Sydney and Athens and won a Team Bronze at the 2003 World Championships, plus Olympic Bronze Medalist on Bars Yang Yun, and Spanish Olympian Tania Gener. Many Colliegate stars also appear in a great line up.

Stick It stars Jeff Bridges as a Gym Coach trying to control newcomer Miss Peregrym who plays a rebellious 17 year old ex gymnast who returns to the disciplined world of elite gymnastics after getting into trouble with the police. Director Jessica Bendiger who also wrote the hit Cheerleading film Bring It On looks to have produced another great hit movie. We won’t spoil the story line for you but it features a great build up as the Team prepare to compete at the National Championships!

The star-studded Premiere will be attended by Carly Patterson, Nastia Liukin, Bart Connor and gymnastics legend Nadia Comaneci at the El Capitan Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard.  A special advance screening will also be held on 26th April in Oklahoma City with free admission for 1,000 local gymnasts. Early reviews for Stick It are very positive with Canada Movies Online rating the film 8 out of 10. Stick It is scheduled for release in Australia on June 15th and UK and European release dates will be confirmed soon.

Check out the great new Web Site for Stick It here which states that the film is rated PG -13 and parental caution is advised as some scenes may be unsuitable for children aged under 13 years. Don’t miss the great section Trick It on the Site which includes some fantastic videos with action examples of a Triple Twist dismount from Beam, Front Aerial / Sheep Jump and many more skills including Onodi and my favourite, the full in piked also known as Mukhina which was used by Catalina Ponor as her dismount from Beam when she won Olympic Gold in Athens. 

Be the first to review the movie in our Gym Forum this weekend and see if other gym fans agree with you!

24th APRIL - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA SUCCESSFULLY DEFEND NCAA TITLE IN SUPER 6 TEAM FINALS

Courtney Kupets on her way to Team Silver in Athens

All Around NCAA Champion and Freshman Courtney Kupets led the University of Georgia to victory in the Super Six team final at the NCAA Championships in Oregon.

Former Olympian Kupets has an outstanding record after winning the World Championships on Bars in 2002 and winning Silver with the U.S. Team in Athens plus bronze on Bars. She performed brilliantly to hit the highest individual score in the Team Final where Georgia successfully defended their 2005 Title winning Gold with a Team Total of 197.750 with Silver Medalist’s Utah only 0.95 behind on 196.800. The Georgia Team also included older sister Ashley Kupets, and Katie Heenan who won Bronze on Bars at the 2001 World Championships, Nikki Childs, Megan Dowlen, Kelsey Ercikson, Abby Stack and Tiffany Tolnay and the NCAA Team Champions for 2006 are coached by Suzanne Yoculan.

A host of famous names littered the Super Six Finals with second placed Utah including former World Beam Champion Ashley Postell, and ex World Championships competitors Gabriella Onodi from Hungary in their Team, with Utah improving on their Bronze Medal at the Super Six last year. Ashley Postell had also won the Silver Medal in the All Around on Thursday after tieing for Bronze last year.

The 2005 Silver Medallist’s, The University of Alabama won Bronze with more famous names including 2004 Olympic double medalist Terin Humphrey; the 2004 Olympic All Around finalist Melanie Banville from Canada, and 2001 World Championships team bronze medalist Ashley Miles. Kaitlin White also competed for Alabama alongside Mari Bayer, Dana Filetti, Brittany Magee, Cassie Martin, Ashley O'Neal and Erin Rightley.

 Defending All Around Champion Tasha Schwikert from UCLA did not compete All Around this year due to a shoulder injury but Tasha qualified for the Individual Vault Final scoring 9.80. UCLA did not qualify for the Team Finals.

Full results were as follows:-

2006 NCAA Women's Championships
Corvallis, Oregon; April 21

Super Six Team Final
1. Georgia 197.750
2. Utah 196.800
3. Alabama 196.725
4. Florida 196.275
5. Nebraska 196.175
6. Iowa State 194.725

Qualifying Rounds with Top 3 from each session qualifying for the Super Six NCAA Team Finals

Session 1
1. University of Nebraska 196.325
2. University of Alabama 196.250
3. University of Utah 196.175
4. University of Michigan 196.000
5. Louisiana State University 195.650
6 University of Oklahoma 195.525

Session 2
1. University of Georgia 197.300
2. Iowa State University 196.250
3. University of Florida 196.225
4. Arizona State University 195.600
5. Oregon State University 195.150
6. University of Arkansas 194.375

24th April - WORLD TRAMPOLINE AND TUMBLING WORLD CUP FINALS COME TO BIRMINGHAM THIS NOVEMBER!

U.K. SPORT DONATES OVER £200,000 IN SUPPORT

 More good news for British gymnastics fans as British Gymnastics announced that the 8th World Trampoline and Tumbling World Cup Finals will be held at the Birmingham National Indoor Arena on Saturday 25th November.  This follows the fantastic success of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Final in 2004 held at the N.I.A. which won universal praise from the Public and the Media as a fitting Arena for a World Championship’s Finals which was broadcast around the World.

The Trampoline and Tumbling World Cup Finals will be jointly organised by British Gymnastics and Birmingham City Council, with support from UK Sport's World Class Events Programme, on behalf of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and around 150 gymnasts, coaches, officials and VIPs, from 20 different countries are expected to visit Birmingham for this prestigious event, one of the highlights of the gymnastics calendar and the culmination of two years of World Cup events.

The World Cup Final will only feature the best trampolinists and tumblers in the world as invitations will be sent out based on world rankings. The event will feature finals in individual and synchronised trampoline and individual tumbling for both men and women.

Councillor John Alden, Cabinet Member for Leisure, Sport and Culture, is delighted that the city will be staging another gymnastics event following the highly praised Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Final and last year's successful UEG Congress and said: "We are delighted to be working with British Gymnastics once again and hope that this event will further strengthen our relationship. Staging a major international event in an Olympic sport such as this further demonstrates that Birmingham is indeed a world class sporting city."

Tumbling and trampoline are increasingly popular in the UK and recent British success has helped to further profile this element of gymnastics across the country. In the last World Cup Final in Algiers in 2004, Britain's Kath Peberdy picked up a bronze medal in 2004 in the women's tumbling and this achievement was matched when Samantha Palmer came third in the same event at the World Championships in Eindhoven in 2005.

Damien Walters is leading the way in men's tumbling in Britain and is currently ranked fifth in the world, whilst Claire Wright is the leading light in trampoline with world rankings of seven in the individual event and six in the synchro discipline with her partner Jaime Moore. Chief Executive of British Gymnastics, Alan Sommerville believes that staging such an important event on home soil will bring out the best in the British competitors and said: "The World Cup Final will provide an unprecedented opportunity for our British gymnasts to compete in an international trampoline and tumbling event in the UK. As well as inspiring our gymnasts it will be great preparation for the London 2012 Olympics, giving British competitors a valuable chance to experience the exciting atmosphere and the added pressure of competing on home soil."

The event is being supported by UK Sport with a grant of just over £200,000 from their National Lottery funded World Class Events Programme. UK Sport's International Director, John Scott, said: "We are delighted to support this event and look forward to welcoming so many elite international athletes to Birmingham later in the year. The competition will offer Britain's best trampolinists and tumblers a fantastic opportunity to compete in a high profile event on home soil, in front of an enthusiastic and supportive British crowd."

Ticket details will appear here as soon as they are released, and we congratulate British Gymnastics, Birmingham City Council and U.K. Sport on this great achievement and a fabulous opportunity for fans from around the World to see the best Tumblers and Bouncers from around the World compete for World Cup Titles!

21ST APRIL - OXFORD SCHOOL OF GYMNASTICS WIN FIRST INTERNATIONAL TITLE AT FLANDERS INTERNATIONAL AGE GROUP COMPETITION

GOLD, SILVER AND BRONZE FOR OXFORD ACROBATS IN SUPERB PERFORMANCE 

Oxford School of Gymnastics won their first International title last week, taking 1st , 2nd and 3rd place in the Flanders International Acro Cup age group competition. 500 gymnasts and 20 different countries participated in the competition including the USA, Russia, Ukraine, Begium, Holland and France, and the Oxford team took the age group event by storm!

 The gold medal winners of Joanne, Amber and Rosie led the rest of the field after the preliminary rounds by one whole mark and gained near perfect marks in the final. Coaches Emma Parr and Caroline Day were awarded the overall trophy for the best club in the International competition.

International champions Joanne White, Amber Ballantyne Styles and Rosie Burr led from the start and performed a breathtaking routine in the final to take the title. Catherine Aitchison, Rosie Green and Ellie Newitt performed beautifully to take the silver and Charmaine Le-Saux, Kristie Nurse and Laura Woodley won the bronze with a powerful performance. Abigail Collins and Charmaine Le-Saux finished a very credible 9th after the preliminary rounds, missing out on a place in the final by just 0.01!

Coaches Emma and Caroline said ‘we’re absolutely delighted and overwhelmed by Oxford’s success and it is a tribute to the gymnasts’ hard work, determination and commitment. To take the trophy for the best club is a real honour and the icing on the cake to a wonderful week’.

The Oxford girl’s fantastic results have received a lot of publicity in the Sports Acrobatics Forums and we are absolutely delighted for the girls and for Emma and Caroline who we met at last year’s European Trials at Lilleshall. Oxford were competing at Trials for the first time in the Club’s history and all of the gymnast’s we spoke to were absolutely thrilled to be trialling for places in the Great Britain Team and they performed superbly. They were a credit to their Coaches and Club and we wish Oxford every success in the future. It shows how far the Club have progressed to achieve a clean sweep against such high class opposition in Flanders, and many congratulations to all of you from us here at Gymnastics Online!

CLICK HERE TO SEE FULL RESULTS FROM THE SWAGG AND JUNIORS IN FLANDERS PLUS PHOTOS FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIPS!

USA claims 7 medals at 2006 Flanders International Acro Cup

PUURS, Belgium – The U.S. delegation to the 2006 Flanders International Acro Cup and World Cup, a key event leading up to the World Championships and International Age Group Competition, returned from the April 13-16 competition with seven total medals, four gold and three silver, and the Team Cup for the senior division.

Clare Brunson of Riverside, Calif., and Michael Rodrigues of Livermore, Calif., claimed their first World Cup medal. They scored 28.800 points to earn the silver medal in the World Cup level’s mixed pair competition. They finished behind Russia’s Revaz Gurgenidze and Anna Kachalova, who scored 29.050.

“We are thrilled with the overall performance by our athletes at this year’s Flanders Cup,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “This is one the best showings by our athletes in international acrobatic gymnastics competition. Having Clare and Michael finish second in the World Cup competition is a positive indicator for the World Championships and other key international events, especially when coupled with the four gold and two silver medals won in the senior and age group divisions.”

In the senior age division, U.S. athletes collected two gold and two silver medals, which resulted in the USA’s capturing its first Team Cup for overall team achievement. Julian Amaro of Victorville, Calif., and Tyler Spray of Livermore, Calif., both members of the senior national team, wowed the crowd and the judges on their way to winning the men’s pair gold medal with a combined exercise score of 28.530. In the mixed pair event, the USA went one-two. Brian Kincher and Kristin Allen, also of Livermore, won the title with 26.410 points, with Jon Gaiter and Devyn Aguilar, both from Riverside, finishing second at 25.970. The trio of Mariah Henninger, Tisa Penny and Ally Kidd, all of whom live in Livermore, finished behind Great Britain in the women’s group final, 27.870 to 28.030.

The USA also won two gold medals in the age group division. Cassidy Dolstra of Tracy, Calif., and Jordan Rozsa of Livermore won the title in women's pair (28.500). The remaining gold medal went to Madeline Bones and Kyle Bloom, both from San Jose, Calif., in the mixed pair competition (27.350). Three U.S. teams that competed in women's group advanced to the finals: Ariel Walsh of Rosebud, Mo., Kayla Huesgen of Rosebud and Amber Kottwitz of Owensville, Mo., finished in sixth place (28.250); Marina Mihov of Pleasanton, Calif., Samantha Olivencia of Los Banas, Calif., and Kristen Sanchez of Livermore were seventh (28.200); and San Jose’s Michaela Meyer, Michelle Meyer and Elizabeth Morris finished 12^th (26.850).

In the junior age division, the women's group of Caitlin Cusano of El Dorado Hills, Calif., Paula Kidwell of Fair Oaks, Calif., and Makaela Bogowitz of El Dorado Hills were the lone U.S. qualifiers to the finals and finished in 12th place (27.650).

The Flanders Cup, held in Puurs, Belgium, hosted 560 athletes from 19 countries in four competition divisions, World Cup, senior, junior and age group (based on age and level of expertise). For complete results visit: http://www.usa-gymnastics.org/acro.

30 APRIL - KING EDMUND AND HORSHAM SET FOR INTERNATIONAL MEET IN GENEVA THIS WEEKEND!

18 COUNTRIES TAKE PART IN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS ACROBATICS CLUB MEET !

Next weekend King Edmund and Horsham travel to Switzerland where they will compete in an International Club Meet in Geneva which has attracted gymnasts from 18 countries! A large number of gymnasts from both Clubs were involved in the World Acrobatics Trials at Lilleshall this past weekend and when we spoke to the Horsham gymnasts at Trials they were all looking forward to competing in a top class International competition. For some of the girls this will be their first International event so it will be a fantastic experience for all of them.

Look out for all the news, photos and the results from Geneva here on Gymnastics Online and good luck to King Edmund and Horsham this weekend!