Artistic Gymnastics

Britain s successful trainer is moving to Switzerland

07. Juli 2007  
Switzerland  
Artistic Gymnastics

Britain s successful trainer is moving to Switzerland

Zoltan JORDANOV
- in Switzerland from October 1st

New head trainer of women's artistic gymnastics in Switzerland
The Swiss Gymnastics Association STV will employ the Hungarian-British Zoltan Jordanov (55) as its new head trainer for women's artisitc gymnastics from October 1st 2007...


* Switzerland
New head trainer of women's artistic gymnastics
Zoltan Jordanov studied to be a sports teacher at Budapest University and qualified as a 'Trainer of Gymnastics as a Competitve Sport' and as an 'International Trainer of Competitive Sports'.

From 1987 to 1996 Zoltan JORDANOV worked as a trainer for the Hungarian Gymnastics Association and during this time prepared gymnasts for the World Championships in Rotterdam (1987 / 7th place/team), Stuttgart (1989 / 9th place/team) and Indianapolis (1991 / 8th place/team) as well as the Olympic Games in Seoul (1988 / 8th place/team),  Barcelona (1992 / 6th place/team) and Atlanta (1996 / 9th place/team) and accompanied them to competitions.
Since 1999 he has been working for British Gymnastics as head trainer of the women's national artistic gymnastics team. During this period he prepared the British team for the World Championships in Tianjin (1999 / 11th place/team), Ghent (2001 / 10th place/team) and Anaheim (2003 / 9th place/team) as well as the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000 / 10th place/team) and Athena (2004 / 11th place/team) .

Under his trainership gymnasts of the British national team managed to win Diplomas at European and World Championships, and Elizabeth Tweddle became the first British gymnast to win medals at continental and intercontinental championships. At the moment Zoltan Jordanov is in charge of training the junior team, developing regional centres and schooling trainers for competitive gymnastics at British Gymnastics. Zoltan Jordanov, who is improving his knowledge of German in preparation for his new job as of October 1st, has set himself the task of getting at least two gymnasts and at best the whole team qualified for the London Olympics in 2012.


His wife, Snejana Jordanov, will be employed as a trainer especially for the beam and for choreography. 
She studied sports at Sofia University and qualified as a trainer for competitive sports. From 1987 to 1996 gymnasts of the Hungarian Gymnastics Association trained by her took part in world championships and Olympic games. After her move to England she mostly worked as a trainer and choreography teacher in regional centres and local clubs.
Source: STV, Bernhard Rentsch, Medienchef

USA Gymnastics select thePan Am U.S. Women’s Team ...

05. Juli 2007  
Indianapolis / USA  
Artistic Gymnastics

USA Gymnastics select thePan Am U.S. Women’s Team ...

PAN AM GAMES 2007

.... for the 2007 Pan American Games
USA Gymnastics has selected the six women it will nominate to the U.S. Olympic Committee to represent the United States in gymnastics at the 2007 Pan American Games, July 13-29, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on top with the 2003 balance beam winner Nastia Liukin...

These Pan Am Games provide a valuable international opportunity for all participating athletes and very good preparation for the upcoming Worlds in Stuttgart...

US Women's Artistic Gymnastics Team 2007

Pending the USOC’s approval, the six-woman Pan Am squad is comprised of:
- Rebecca Bross of Plano, Texas/WOGA;
- Ivana Hong of Blue Springs, Mo./GAGE;
- Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa/Chow’s Gymnastics;
- Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas/WOGA;
- Samantha Peszek of In dianapolis, Ind./DeVeau’s School of Gymnastics; and
- Amber Trani of Richlandtown, Pa./Parkettes.
(The replacement athletes are:
- Sarah DeMeo of Overland Park, Kan./GAGE; and
- Bridget Sloan of Pittsboro, Ind./Sharp’s Gymnastics Academy.

Valeri Liukin of Parker, Texas/WOGA, is the head coach, and Donna Strauss of Allentown, Pa./Parkettes, is assistant coach. 

The U.S. Women’s Team for the Pan American Games was named at the conclusion of the Pan Am Selection Training Camp, June 30-July 3, at the Women’s National Training Center.

Nastasia Liukin at the worlds in 2005

<< Nastia Liukin is returning for her second Pan Am Games.
In 2003, she was on the gold-medal team and also won the title on the balance beam, was second in the all-around and third on the uneven bars and floor exercise.  She also is a two-time U.S. all-around champion as a senior (2005-06) and as a junior (2003-04). Liukin won the world title on both the balance beam and uneven bars in 2005.
At the World Championships in 2006, she won a silver medal in both the team competition and the uneven bars.

Shawn Johnson, who is competing as a senior in 2007, won the 2007 Tyson American Cup. In 2006, Johnson won the junior all-around title at the Visa Championships, where she also claimed the gold medal in the vault, balance beam and floor exercise. At the USA vs Great Britain International competition, she won the all-around and balance beam and was on the team that won the title, along with  Samantha Peszek and Rebecca Bross. Johnson won the all-around and balance beam and was second on vault and floor at the 2006 Junior Pan American Championships, where she, Peszek and Bross were on the team that won the title.
Samantha Peszek, who also is competing as a senior, added the floor exercise and vault gol d medals to the team title at the USA vs Great Britain dual meet, as well as competed in the Tyson American Cup in 2007. At the 2006 Junior Pan Am Championships, she won the floor exercise title and a silver medal in vault, as well as the team gold medal. At the 2006 Visa Championships, she was second in the vault and third in the all-around and uneven bars as a junior.
Rebecca Bross won the vault title at the Junior Pan Am Championships, along with the team crown. She was second on the balance beam and fourth in the all-around in the junior division at the 2006 Visa Championships. Both Bross and Johnson were members of the gold medal team at the 2006 Pacific Alliance Championships.
Ivana Hong, now competing as a senior, was second in the all-around and the balance beam at the Houston International Invitational. She was a member of the team that won the gold medal at the USA vs Great Britain International Competition, where she was also third on the balance beam. At the 2006 Visa Championships, she was third on the balance beam in the junior division.
Amber Trani won the vault title and was third on the balance beam at the Houston International Invitational. At the Gymnix International, she was a member of the silver-medal team and was fourth in the all-around.
Pending USOC approval, USA Gymnastics has already announced the teams for men’s artistic gymnastics and trampoline.
The six-man USA Pan Am Team is comprised of: Guillermo Alvarez of Denver/Team Chevron;
- David Durante of Garwood, N.J./Team Chevron;
- Sean Golden of Camden, N.J./Gattaca;
- Joseph Hagerty of Rio Rancho, N.M./Team Chevron;
- Justin Spring of Burke, Va./Team Chevron; and
- Todd Thornton of Houston/Team Chevron.
(The replacement athletes are
- Sho Nakamori of Albany, Calif./Stanford University, and
- Bryant Hadden of Wichita, Kan./Stanford University)

***************************************************************
For trampoline, the four athletes are:

> Men:
- Chris Estrada of Lafayette, La., and
-  Ryan Weston of Chubbuck, Idaho; and

> Women:
- Brittany Dircks of Orland Park, Ill., and
- Alaina Williams of Amarillo, Texas.
All four trampolinists train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
(Source: USA Gymnastics, Indianapolis)

GYMmedia visit to the Olympic City of 2008 ... ONE WORLD - ONE DREAM is Beijings Olympic motto

02. Juli 2008  
Peking / China  
Artistic Gymnastics

GYMmedia visit to the Olympic City of 2008 ... ONE WORLD - ONE DREAM is Beijings Olympic motto

From Beijing for GYMmedia:
Giancarlo MORA

About 13 months before they start, G YM media INTERNATIONAL is beginning an occasional series of articles from the city which will host the "Game of the XXIXth Olympiad", which will take place from August 8th to 24th 2008 in Beijing.                 
GYMmedia correspondent Giancarlo MORA has been in China for some months, observing the scenery, atmosphere and development of the country and its people with respect to the preparations for the Olympic Games.                                  
In one of the coming installments he will attempt to establish contact with the elite gymnastics training centres in China, and particularly in Beijing...

GYMmedia correspondent Giancarlo MORA in front of the main Olympic stadium in Beijing
- Photos and Report: G. Mora


"One World one Dream ..."
- by Giancarlo MORA exclusively for GYMmedia  -

...that is the city's motto for the XXIXth Olympic Summer Games, which are due to take place in Beijing from August 8th to 24th 2008; for this reason, the city is preparing for millions of guests. Many of the Olympic building have already taken shape and some are already in regular use, such as the Olympic Press Centre in the north of Beijing, close to the Huabei-Hotel, which has been open since 2005, and where the OC plans to hold daily press conferences.

All the preparations at the huge Olympic site have little effect on dalVon all den olympischen Vorbereitung in diesem riesigen Areal ist im Alltag vieler Menschen in den Pekinger Vorstädten, den traditionellen 'Hutongs' so gut wie nichts zu spüren.

I have been in Beijing for 4 months and have been able to learn at first hand that about 58% of the tickets for the games will cost 100 RMB, which is equivalent to about 10 Euros (RMB = Chinese currency "Renminbi"; Abb. ¥.; the units are Yuán (元, sign: 圆, unit), Jiǎo (角) and Fēn (分). One Yuan equals 10 Jiao and 100 Fen. ).
14 % of these are reserved for Chinese students!
The most expensive tickets will cost about 500 RMB (approx. 50 Euro).

Daily activity in the Chinese metropolis

The subway system will also be extended and the city intends to break its citizens of some typical bad habits until the Olympic games.
For instance the habit of spitting all over the place ... not just 'Laowai' (the Chinese term for a foreigner, which literally translates as 'the old one from outside') object to this, many Chinese compatriots also find it repulsive.

Modernity and history exist side by side in the Chinese capital. And because China does not merely wish to present a cultural event to the world, but also wishes to show that it is a modern and innovative country, it promises to make these games a very special event.

Just over a year before the beginning of the games building sites are sprouting from the ground like the proverbial mushrooms. Floodlights are attached to the cranes on the construction sites so that construction can go on night and day.

The main Olympic stadium in Beijing, a building inspired by a bird's nest...!

The main stadium, which will cost 290 million Euro and is called the “Bird's Nest” - ist unique both in its appearance and its many functions.

In my next report for GYMmedia I will attempt to find out about the Chines preparations for the gymnastics events.


* Aus Beijing - exklusiv für GYMmedia: Giancarlo MORA

IOC plans YOUTH OLYMIC GAMES (YOG)

28. Juni 2007  
Lausanne / Switzerland  
Artistic Gymnastics

IOC plans YOUTH OLYMIC GAMES (YOG)

On April 25 already the IOC Executive Board unanimously welcomed the idea to organise Youth Olympic Games (YOG).

This means that the concept of this event will be put forward for consideration by the IOC Session in Guatemala City in July....
The Youth Olympic Games are conceived, in conjunction with other initiatives, to address the decline in the relevance of sport amongst the younger generation and to give them an education based on values.
No mini Games
The purpose of the YOG is to complement the Olympic Games and “not to create mini Games,” explained Jacques Rogge. It would have a different character, and target youngsters aged between 14 and 18, adapted to the different sports.
By creating a special occasion which places as much, if not more, emphasis on the manner in which things are achieved, rather than the sporting achievement itself, the YOG would be true to the vision of educating young people through the values sport teaches. Sports events would be carefully chosen to protect the health of the young athletes. The YOG would be a demonstration of the IOC’s commitment to young people by providing for them an event of their own in the spirit of the Olympic Games.

The Format
The Summer and Winter Youth Games would alternate every four years, the Summer events would be staged in the years of the Olympic Winter Games and vice versa.
The first edition of Summer YOG is envisaged for 2010.
Estimates around participant numbers range from 3,000 for the Summer YOG and 1,000 for the winter counterpart. The organisational effort for a city to host the YOG would be significantly lower for the Olympic Games. However the details of the concept still need to be defined in close cooperation with the members of the Olympic Movement. Experience can be gathered from events like the European and Australian Youth Olympic Festivals.

Education through Sport
The YOG would create a true community for young people to participate in sport, to learn, and to share experiences with their peers. Moreover the event would offer an excellent platform to learn what the Olympic values are, what they mean and why they matter in a contemporary world.
Jacques Rogge also emphasised that the YOG would serve, alongside providing a special event for youth competition, to let young people understand the dangers of doping in sport, the risks associated with extremes – such as a sedentary lifestyle or overtraining – the benefits of a having a balanced diet and the advantages of finding a healthy balance between sport and other social and educational activities.
Young people who live the YOG experience would either go on to become future Olympians, or simply ambassadors in society for sport and Olympic values, having learnt their relevance and meaning today.
Source: I O C

New dates for the Cottbus World Cup 2008

22. Juni 2007  
Cottbus / Germany  
Artistic Gymnastics

New dates for the Cottbus World Cup 2008

... TdM 2008 as dress rehearsal for ECh
The 32nd International Tournament of Masters is to take place two weeks later than originally planned in the Olympic year 2008 at the Cottbus Lausitz-Arena. The new dates for the tournament are the 11th to 13th April 2008.
The gymnastics tournament will thus become a dress rehearsal for the men's European championships which will take place in Lausanne (Switzerland) just a little later...


The change was agreed by the host, the SC Cottbus Turnen  e.V. and the international association F.I.G.
«The traditional date for the tournament at the end of March would have been just one week before the women's ECh, not a good date. We had to take measures and agreed to this solution with all interested parties.", the SCC writes on its homepage.

New director of tounament after ten years...
It has not so far been decided who will act as director of tournament next year. Silvio Kroll is leaving to head the Olympic training facility in Stuttgart in the late summer. The 42-year-old, himself two times gymnastics world champion, been in charge of the Tournament of Masters since 1997.
Info: SCC

Injured gymnast WANG able to move fingers, leg ...

15. Juni 2007  
Shanghai / China  
Artistic Gymnastics

Injured gymnast WANG able to move fingers, leg ...

Wang Yan: Crash at uneven barsPhoto: CGA

China's press reported that injured gymnast  WANG, Yan is expected to recover the function of the left part of body after she successfully moved her right fingers and leg, a doctor in Shanghai said yesterday. 

The 15-year-old gymnast from Zhejiang broke her neck after a fall from the uneven bars at China's National Championships in Shanghai last  Sunday. 
Wang fell on her head after leaving the high bar in the women's qualifying event while completing a 360-degree flip.
She lost control during the routine and had no time to protect herself as she landed head first, according to a witness to the incident....

... a Chinese coach tried to help, but it was too late...!

The team doctor couldn't get any reaction from her and immediately put her on oxygen. She was rushed to a hospital and was found to have suffered a cervical vertebra fracture. The Zhejiang Sports Bureau has promised to provide the best medical treatment for her and she also has medical insurance of 200,000 yuan (US$26,212).
Wang's injury is reminiscent of fellow Chinese gymnast Sang Lan, who broke her neck while making a practice vault at the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York. Sang has been paralyzed since then.
Source: Chinese media

Yang, Wei (CHN)

China's Nationals 2007
- Shanghai, Tuesday, June 13 
The Chinese national gymnastics championship is the first tournament for China's squad pick-up in the Olympic Games and world championship, which is slated to play on June 9 to 18.

Yang Wei, the all-around world championwon the all-around title at the Chinese National Championships, held Tuesday, June 12 in Shanghai. 
Ranked on third after the  qualification round behind Feng Jing and Chen Yibing, Yang Wei scored nearly two points more than Chen in the final.
The top seven gymnasts all scored more than 90 points!
* Men's All-Around Final
1. Yang Wei 93.400
2. Chen Yibing 91.500
3. Teng Haibin 91.350

4. Feng Jing 91.250
5. Feng Zhe 91.000
    Liang Fuliang 91.000
7. Guo Weiyang 90.200
8. Zou Kai 89.900

PREVIEW: Swiss Cup 2007 - GYMfamily Event

04. Juni 2007  
Zurich / Switzerland  
Artistic Gymnastics

PREVIEW: Swiss Cup 2007 - GYMfamily Event

Swiss Swiss Cup Team 2006 - signed on for 2007!

Swiss pair Kaeslin/Böschenstein signed on
The organizers of the artistic gymnastics SWISS CUP which will take place from 4th November 2007 in the Zurich Hallenstadion plan to present to their audience a first rank field of participants once again this year.
The aim is to get male and female athletes in ten first class national teams to compete in a pairs competition.

The first-class Swiss duo
<< Ariella Kaeslin und Niki Böschenstein has already been signed on....

To guarantee a first-class, international field of participants first contacts were made at the European championships in Amsterdam. However the gymnasts cannot be definitely contracted until after the world championships in September. The Swiss top ranking pair Ariella Kaeslin and Niki Böschenstein have already been signed on. The pair which is very popular with the audiences will represent the Swiss gymnastics association STV.

This early nomination is due to the sensational placement of Kaeslin/Böschenstein at last year's Swiss Cup 2006 .
The two gymnasts are the organizers' preferred team.

Spectator capacity extended to 7500
After the premiere last year at the Hallenstadion which was very successful with the audience the international gymnastics event will be extended further. The seating for spectators will be upgraded to 7500 places to meet the demand. The artistic gymnastics spectacular will thus take place in front of a sizeable audience again this year. 


>>  Information and tickets:
To reserve tickets it is advisable to book in advance, at>> www.swiss-cup.ch or via
>> Ticketcorner:  Telefon  ++41 (0)900 800 800 (Fr 1.19/Min.), or
>> www.ticketcorner.ch
... further information:
> Beny Ruhstaller, OK-Präsident ++41-(0)43 211 50 10
> Bernhard Rentsch, Medienchef ++41-(0)32 342 20 60

Swedish Surprise: Veronica Wagner won her first World Cup Titles

04. Juni 2007  
Buenos Aires / Argentina  
Artistic Gymnastics

Swedish Surprise: Veronica Wagner won her first World Cup Titles

Veronica WAGNER (SWE)

The long time Swedish champion Veronica WAGNER was the most successful gymnast at the women's artistic gymnastics world cup, which was held in Buenos Aires, last weekend.
In the absence of most of the leading international rivals,  she was first on vault and balance beam.

World cup winner on uneven bars was the 24 years old German Katja ABEL from Berlin and the young Russian Daria ELIZAROVA won on floor exercises.

F.I.G. WORLD CUP 2007 (Cat. B; women's only)
    San Fernando, Buenos Aires, Argentina
     - 2007, June 2 - 3 -

WOMEN's RESULTS
(... altogether 13 participants, only, representing 6 different countries)

* VAULT
1. WAGNER, Veronica (SWE)  (SV 15.0)  - 14.350
                                                           (14.9) - 14.100  - 14.250
2. ABEL, Katja (GER)                        (15.5) - 14,750
                                                          (15.0) -  13.700 - 14,250
3. DELUZIO, Virginia ARG)             (15.0) - 13.550
                                                         (14.6) - 13,700 - 13,625
4. ZMEU, Alena (RUS)                     (14.4) - 12,800
                                                         (15.0) - 13,400 - 13,100
6. CASTRO, Simona (CHI)             (15.0) - 13,300
                                                        (14.4) - 12,800 - 13,050
7. CASTRO, Martina (CHI)             (15.0) - 12,550
                                                        (14.2) - 12,550 - 12,975
8.  - . -
           >> Vault, qualification results

* Uneven Bars
1. ABEL, Katja (GER) - (16.2) - 14,450
2. ISAEVA, Irina (RUS) - (16.5) - 14,150
3. ZMEU, Alena (RUS) - (16.0) - 13,400
4. DELUZIO, Virginia (ARG) - (15.6) - 12,500
5. CASTRO, Simona (CHI) - (14.9) - 11,400
6. CABRERA, Melani (CHI) - (14.0) - 10,300
7. MONTES, Romina (PER) - (14,2) - 10,150
8. CAMINO, Andrea (PER) - (14.1)  -  7,250
           >> Uneven bars, qualification results

* Balance Beam
1. WAGNER, Veronica (SWE) - (16.2) - 14,800
2. ELIZAROVA, Daria (RUS) - (16.6) - 14,450
3. ZMEU, Alena (RUS) - (16.2) - 14,400
4. HINDERMANN, Marie (GER) - (16.0) - 14,050
5. ABEL, Katja (GER) - (15.8) - 13,500
6. CABRERA, Melani (CHI) - (15.5) - 12,750
7. DOMENEGHINI, Nadir (ARG) - ( 14.5) - 11,700
8. CASTRO, Martina (CHI) - (15.5) - 10,000
     >> Balance beam, qualification results

* Floor Exercises
1. ELIZAROVA, Daria (RUS)  - (15,6) -14,150
2. ABEL, Katja (GER) - (15,3) - 13,850
3. WAGNER, Veronica (SWE) - (15.1) - 13,800 
4. ZMEU, Alena (RUS)  - (15.3) - 13,700
5. DOMENEGHINI, Nadir (ARG)  - (14.7) - 13,300
6. HINDERMANN, Marie (GER)  - (15.2) - 13,300
7. DELUZIO, Virgina (ARG)  - (15.4) - 13,150
8. CASTRO, Martina (CHI)   - (15.3) - 12,400
>> Floor exercises, qualification results

Spanish National Junior Team beats Host Germany

02. Juni 2007  
Bergisch-Gladbach/Germany  
Artistic Gymnastics

Spanish National Junior Team beats Host Germany

Spaniards winning in Germany

Last weekend the Spanish national femal junior team won a friendly meet in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany versus the German host with 208,35 : 212,05 points clearly.
On third place came the girls from Belgium with  a score of 195,600, followed by the impaired Austrian team on fourth place (185,100).
Best of all-around was the Spaniard Ana Maria IZURIETA (ESP) with 54,900 points, in front of Joeline MÖBIUS (53,50) and Lisa-Katharina Hill (- both GER; 53,45). Best of Belgium was Lisse Bossaerts (6.; 51,800), best Austrian Jasmin Mader (12; 49,45)

Victory Ceremony in Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany
Photo by Doris Foeldes, Austria


Friendly  Meet Femal Juniors
- GERMANY - AUSTRIA - BELGIUM - SPAIN -
- Bergisch-Gladbach, Germany, 2007, June 2 -

* Team-Results:
1. S P A I N  212,05
2. GERMANY  - 208,35; 3. BELGIUM  - 195,60; 4. AUSTRIA  - 185,10.

* Individual, All-around
1. Ana Maria IZURIETA (ESP)  - 54,900
2. Joeline MOEBIUS (GER)  - 53,500
3. Lisa-Katharina HILL (GER)  - 53,450
4. Anna SERA (ESP)  - 52,000
5. Naomi RUIZ (ESP)  - 51,900
6. Lisse BOSSAERTS (BEL)  - 51,800

>> Complete Results (download)

Japanese team defends the title at the Intl. Junior Team Cup

17. März 2007  
Berlin / Germany  
Artistic Gymnastics

Japanese team defends the title at the Intl. Junior Team Cup

 

A top level competition!As expected, the titleholder of last year's INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM CUP, the boys from JAPAN, defended the trophy and won the event also this year with a score of 249.900 points.

The team FRANCE I followed in second place with 247.800 in front of Switzerland  (245.700). The competition included the incredible number of 25 teams from 17 different countries! Also the boys from Spain (4th place) and Nottinghamshire/ Great Britain (6th place) left strong impressions.

The best of  the 3 participating German teams was the host club SC Berlin who ended up in 7th place.

 

impressive atmosphere and a talents competition on a very high level!

12th INTERNATIONAL JUNIOR TEAM CUP 2007
- Berlin, venue "Grosse Sporthalle", March 17th  -

*MANNSCHAFTSWERTUNG / TEAM RESULTS

1. JAPAN                     249.900
2. FRANCE I                  247.800
3. SWITZERLAND       245.700

4. SPAIN                     244.750
5. FRANCE II             242.850
6. GREAT BRITAIN   238.450  (Nott's School of Gymn.)
7. SC BERLIN           237.850
>>... detailed team results

Cover boy Robin Michel from
the host SC Berlin
- best German gymnast
in his age group

Beste der Altersklassenwertungen / Individual ranking in the age groups:

*Age group '93 and younger:
1. Sam Oldham (GBR)       83.450
2. Mikita Kavaliou  (BLR)    79.100
3. Luca Grossklaus (SUI)  77.900
>> ... detailed results

*Age group '91 - '92:
1. Rokas Guscinas  (LTU)  81.750
2. Robin Michel  (GER)        79.900
3. Yuto Murakami  (JPN)      78.500
>> ... detailed results

*Age group '89 - '90:
1. Masataka Aoyama  (JPN) 87.300
2. Lucas Fischer   (SUI)        85.250
3. Hiroyuki Imai   (JPN)          84.100
>> ... detailed results

Of course during the first competition of the year mistakes especially at elements which the gymnasts newly added to their routines still can happen and so also for the winners from JAPAN not everything went perfectly today. Nonetheless they were the team with the best technical abilities!

FRANCE seems to be on the upwind again with quite a few strong gymnasts on the junior level.

The team from SWITZERLAND presented the most solid competition which brought them a well-deserved 3rd place. However, the technical presentation of their routines wasn't the most attractive.

Spain reached the 4th place - and this is absolutely no surprise. Their gymnasts showed themselves athletically very well prepared and this helped them especially on rings where they were the second best team at this International Junior Team Cup behind the French team which with Samir Ait Said had the 2006 Junior European Champion on this apparatus in their team. In addition to their good performances on rings the Spanish gymnasts also gave convincing performnces on floor and vault where they received the highest team scores of this event!

Great Britain was represented by the 'Nottinghamshire School of Gymnastics'. The team showed a very good technical basis in their performances.

The hosts from Germany's SC Berlin struggled with quite a few insecurities during their routines in this competition. If they had made less mistakes a higher place in the ranking might have been possible.

The winners' podium: Japan in front of France and Switzerland

All in all:

This International Junior Team Cup is a very high level tournament - the entry field almost looks like a small Junior World Championships! Especially since it's a team competition quite a lot of possible future gymnastics stars can be seen at this event.

There is one thing left to be hoped for the organisers for next year. This high-level competition certainly deserves a few more people in the audience ranks. The next International Junior Team Cup is planned for March 2nd 2008 - this will be about 9 weeks before the Junior European Championships!

Eckhard Herholz/ Jens Milbradt/ Lisa Worthmann

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