19.03.2009

 

EC artistic gymnastics in Milano: without Vanessa Ferrari (ITA) and Maxim Deviatovski RUS

150 men from 36 countries and 87 women from 32 federation will compete from April 2nd to April 5th. The federation have now announced their nominative list. Both individual champions 2007 will not compete.

Picture News
Sandra Izbasa / ROU will be the favourite for the womens all-around titel 2009
When reading the nominative entries, one can see that the men’s competitions will be very interesting. Most of the medallists of the ECh 2007 Amsterdam and/or the OG Beijing 2008 will be present. In particular France, Great-Britain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Romania, Slovenia will come with their best gymnasts. Maxim Deviatovsky RUS, current European champion in all-around, will not defend his title.
However with regard to the women, there are quite many changes, respectively new gymnasts. Russia will be represented with the double gold medalist 2008, Ksenia Semenova. France has entered Marine Petit and especially Youna Dufournet, who dominated the 2008 junior Championships in Clermont-Ferrand. Romania still counts on experienced Sandra Izbasa and Annamaria Tamirjan. Elizabeth Tweddle (GBR, bars and floor) and Ariella Kaeslin (SUI, vault) will also try to win a medal. Vanessa Ferrari will unfortunately be absent; she had to cease her training due to recurrent physical problems. The 2007 all around European Champion will not be able to compete in front of her public.


The world ... at the European Championships

As at the beginning of each new Olympic cycle, the European Championships will be a “test” for the new code of points MAG and WAG, not only for the gymnasts and their coaches but also for the judges. These competitions will therefore be in the centre of attention of numerous observers coming from all over the world. As a matter of fact, announced are delegations from Japan (Tokyo), the USA, Canada, Qatar and Cameroon. Delegations from Birmingham (ECh 2010) and Finland (candidate 2013) will observe the general organisation of these championships.


D.Duchoud/UEG


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