27.03.2009
3rd ECh artistic gymnastics in Milan – everything is ready
The 3rd European Championships in artistic gymnastics will begin In 6 days. 237 gymnasts representing 38 countries will compete in the beautiful Forum Mediolanum in Milano-Assagno from April 2nd to 5th.
The 3rd European individual Championships in artistic gymnastics will open the year for Milano – 2009 European capital of sport. The last important news were given at the national press conference, in which very many journalists participated. Representatives of the Italian Gymnastics Federation, the local organizing committee, the government of the Lombardy and the town as well as of the National Olympic Committee presented this event, the like of it was not organized in Italy since 1981 in Rome. Among the 237 athletes from 38 federations are several medallists of the Beijing Olympic Games and the European title holders; in particular in the men’s events, the competition will be quite hard. The French Thomas Bouhail, silver medallist vault and Benoît Caranobe, bronze medallist of the all around competition, the German Hambüchen, bronze medallist on high bar, the Russian Anton Golotsutskov, bronze medallist floor and vault, Oleksander Vorobiov / UKR, bronze medallist on rings and the British gymnast Louis Smith, bronze medallist on pommel horse can realize their ambitions at this first important rendezvous after Beijing, without forgetting the multiple medallist and title holder Jordan Jovtchev / BUL.The Italian team will be complete with Igor Cassina, Andrea Coppolino, Matteo Morandi, Matteo Angioletti, Alberti Busnari and Enrico Pozzo and each one of them can hope for a title or a medal. It will be a great atmosphere in the Forum Mediolanum!The Slovenian Federation has informed that Aljaz Pegan will not compete and Croatia will be without its Lausanne medallists, Filip Ude and Robert Seligman.
In the women’s competition, the attention of the spectators will be turned towards the Romanian Sandra Izbasa, Olympic champion on floor, as well as towards Elisabeth Tweddle / GBR, world and European champion. Switzerland will try to realize its ambition to win a first medal, even a first title on vault. Ariella Kaeslin, 5th at the games and 2nd at the World Cup final in Madrid last December has recently won in Cottbus and can hope for victory as in particular the German Oksana Chusovitina (injured) is absent as the Italian gymnasts Giovannini and Benolli who were too strong for her last year in Clermont Ferrand.
Tickets are still available
The spectators in Milan, the Lombardy and surroundings followed with enthusiasm the invitation of the organisers. Until now, more than 20’000 tickets were sold for the 4 days lasting competition. Tickets can be ordered via « Ticket One www.ticketone.it », « Ticket Web www.ticketweb.it » as well as at the office of the LOC (+3902/89124772) or at the Mediolanum. Please be aware that there are not many tickets left for the finals on Saturday and Sunday.
Title holders 2007 in Amsterdam
Men Competition II – all around individual competition
1st Maxim Deviatovski / RUS (is not in Milan)
2nd Hambüchen / GER
3rd Ryazanov Yuri / RUS
Apparatus finals
Floor - Martinez Rafael / ESP (is not in Milan)
Pommel horse - Berki Kristian / HUN
Rings - Vorobyov Olexander / UKR
Vault - Golotsutskov Anton / RUS
P. Bars -Petkovsek Mitja / SLO
High bar - Hambüchen Fabian / GER
Title winners 2008 Lausanne
Floor - Golotsutskov Anton / RUS
Pommel horse - Berki Kristian / HUN
Rings - Van Gelder Yuri / NED
Vault - Blanik Leszek / POL
P. bars - Petkovsek Mitja / SLO
High bar - Hambüchen Fabian / GER
Other top gymnasts
Yann Cucherat / FRA,
Danny Rodrigues / FRA,
Epke Zonderland / NED,
Jeffrey Wammes / NED,
Truyens Donna Donny / BEL,
Dimosthenis Tampakos / GRE
2007 Amsterdam
Women Competition II – all around individual competition
1st Ferrari Vanessa / ITA (is not in Milan)
2nd Izbasa Sandra / ROU
3rd Kozich Alina / UKR (is not in Milan)
Apparatus finals
Vault - Carlotta Giovannini / ITA (is not in Milan)
Uneven bars - Dariya Zgoba / UKR (is not in Milan)
Beam - Yulia Lozheko / RUS (is not in Milan)
Floor - Vanessa Ferrari / ITA (is not in Milan)
Title winners 2008 Clermont Ferrand
Vault - Chusovitina Oksana / GER (is not in Milan)
Uneven bars - Semenova Ksenia / RUS
Beam - Semenova Ksenia / RUS
Floor - Izbasa Sandra / ROU
Other top gymnasts
Aagje Van Walleghem / BEL, Jana Komrskova / CZE, Marine Petit and Youna Dufournet / FRA, Anja Brinker / GER, Lia Parolari / ITA, Anamaria Tamirjan / ROU, Ksenia Afanasyeva / RUS










