After having been rejected by the UEG as host for this year’s European Championships, Portuguese city of Portimao receives this weekend in the brand new EXPOARADE Pavillion the world elite in rhythmic gymnastics.
From 8th to 10th September, 115 gymnasts from 26 countries, will compete in this FIG World Cup Series Event (Category A).
P R E V I E W WORLD CUP Rhythmic Gymnastics 2006 - Portimao September 8 - 10 -
Among of them stars as Anna Bessonova, winner of the bronze medal at the Olympic Games in Athens, and Nataliya Godunko from Ukraine, as well as Aliya Yussupova from Kazakhstan, 4th place in Athens, Inna Zhukova and her teammates from Belarus and the newcomers from Russia, Marina Spekht and Evgenia Kanaeva.
Between groups, favourites are the Olympic champions from Russia, but the teams from Belarus, Bulgaria, Spain and Ukraine are also firm candidates for the medal places.
Juniors: A very good test before the Europeans ...
While senior gymnasts and groups compete in the FIG World Cup Series Category A event, junior gymnast from 20 countries decide among them the “20th International Tournament of Portimao” trophy.
For all of them this event is the last big chance to present their routines in public before the European Championships which will be held, like last year, in Moscow in two weeks.
- by GYMmedia correspondent Ester TEIJEIRA, Spain
Natasha Godunko and the Ukrainian 'Mother of Gymnastics', Albina Derjugina
FRIDAY: First Day of Competition - by GYMmedia correspondent Esther TEIJEIRA
The first rotation is gone, and the first results are here, with the little surprise of Natasha Godunko (UKR) taking the lead after rope and ball, closely followed by Inna Zhukova (BLR) and team mate Anna Bessonova. The differences are very little, which leaves us a very interesting session for tomorrow, with the interrogant of who’ll be the winner still very open. Simona Peycheva and Aliya Yusspova will also try to get a chance to enter the final podium, so nothing is decided yet.
The Russian star, Marina Shpekht had a big drop with the ball (and had to run through the whole carpet to recover it) which prevented her to be among the best three. Let’s see if she manages to reduce the distance with them tomorrow…
The German representant, Johanna Gabor, did a good competition, and managed to catch the 14th place in the first two apparatuses, which is a promising result for tomorrow (Saturday).
To sum up, a nice competition in a very kind environment, with a brand new hall and enthusiastic audience, that cheered not only the local gymnasts, but all others.
On Saturday, we have the second part of the competition, with the other two apparatuses, clubs and ribbon....
>> Results of first day's Groups competition:
1- BELARUS 16,275;
2- SPAIN 15,375
3- CHINA 15,325
- For GYMmedia reporting from Portimao:
Esther TEIJEIRA, text & photos
Inna Zhukova, on second after half time...
Bessonova: best routine with rope (17.225)
SATURDAY's All-around Decision Nataliya Godunko from the Ukraine won the Saturday's all-around competition title in a head-to-head fight with Belorussian star Inna Zhukova. Both made a perfect competition, Godunko finishing her ribbon routine with four rolls under the last throw.
On third place came Anna Bessonova, also from the
Ukraine after having beaten Simona Peycheva and the two Russian gymnasts - Marina Spekht and Evgenia Kanaeva. Aliya Yussupova, placed 4th after first day's competition,
fell back on 7th place after having big problems in her ribbon routine.
Saturday's Junior's All-around TEAM Decision
Junior competition finished with the first place for the team from Belarus.
Second place went to Bulgaria, with Filipa Siderova as the audience
favourite, and third to the Ukraine.
Germany's gymnasts Alexandra Zapekina and Karolina Raskina finished on 9th place, Austrians ranked on 12th place of alltogether 16 nations.
Byelorussians dominated group contest:
Group competition was dominated by the gymnast's from BELARUS - powered by their new partner, the Japanese company Chacott Ltd."
-, who made a spectacular hoops/clubs routine.
On second place finished the girls from CHINA, the group with some new gymnasts, struggled a little bit yesterday with their ribbon routine, but today everything went perfect for them and they won the silver medal. This all-around competition surely was a big deception for SPAIN after having finished yesterday on second place, today they had really bad luck and problems with their mixed routine and fell back on 5th place while BULGARIA could take the bronze medal and the UKRAINE 4th place.
