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- by Sonja Schmeißer -
After the World Cup
finals in June in Rimini (ITA), the second European Championships of
Aerobics are the second saesonal highlight of the young discipline. All
in all 226 athletes from 22 countries are taking part in the categories
men and women Single, Mixed pairs, Trio and Team in Saragossa (ESP).
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Jonathan Canada (ESP)
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Individual
men
The Spanish
spectators, who are traditionally enthusiastic about sports and
very lively, can be happy about a favourite from their country:
World Champion Jonathan Canada is from Saragossa and still
loves his native town very much, even if he lives in Barcelona
right now. He will do everything to win at home and if he turns
out to be in a good shape, that won't be a problem. Most likely to
endanger his planes are probably the Wolrd Cup Champion Grégory
Alcan (FRA), Halldor Johannsson from Iceland or the
Russian Stanislav Marchenkov. The Romanian Claudiu
Cristian Moldovan has to be taken into consideration as well. |
Individual
women:
As for the women, there is a
top - favourite, the Romanian World Champion Isabela Lacatus,
whose position could only be endangered by own mistakes. The
former world-class-gymnast brought a competitor from her own
country - Mihaela Pohoata. The European Champion of 1999, Giovanna
Lecis (ITA), strives for a medal, as well as the Bulgarian
Ludmila Kovatcheva. The performance of the 19-year-old
Bulgarian Assia Ramizova, who just won the WOBENZYM®N
Aerobic Cup Berlin 2001, is one thing to be excited about.
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Isabela Lacatus
(ROM)
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Mixed
pairs:
Concerning the mixed pairs, the
question of favourites is clear as well : Tatiana Soloviova /
Vladislav Oskner from Russia have been unbeatable at
Championships for three years now - World Champions in 1998, 1999,
2000, European Champions in 1999. However, the World Cup victory
in June this year went to the Romanians Isabel Lacatus /Remus
Nicolai - the competition of these two pairs will surely be
the highlight of these European Championships. Always close
to the medals are Rachel Muller / Stephan Brecard from
France and the Bulgarians Galina Lazarova / Marian Kolev.
<<<<<
Rachel Muller / Stephan Brecard (FRA) |
Trios:
The competitions of the trios
belong to the most attractive ones concerning Aerobics. The World
Cup Champions of this year, the Frenchmen Grégory Alcan /
Xavier Julien / Olivier Salvan are the public's darlings and
belong to the top - favourites again. Since the Romanian
male trio, the European Champions of 1999, will not participate,
it is up to the women this time : Romania came with two female
trios - the ladies Rusu / Marin / Maranduca probably have
the best chances - but the Bulgarians Kovacheva / Dotzeva /
Lazarova have been part of the world's best since years. Let's
see how the men from Russia Kozirev / Ivanov / Sichev
- third at the World Championships 2000 - will deal with the
competition. |
Kovacheva
/ Dotzeva / Lazarova (BUL)
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Teams:
The question of the favourites
for the team competitions is a little harder to answer, since the
international presentations were rare so far. While the UEG included the
category into the first European Championships in 1999 - contributing to
the reputation and the development of the team competitions - the FIG
did not integrate the team competitions into their programme yet. There
are 11 groups competing for the victory of the European Championships,
which the Romanian European Champions of 1999 are
certainly willing to repeat.
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