37th Memorial Joaquin BLUME 2014

Popa, Verniaiev

World Parallel Bars champion Oleg Verniaiev (UKR) and Spanish star Roxana Popa (ESP) were the big winners at the Joaquin Blume Memorial, held this past weekend in Barcelona (ESP). Popa, the current Spanish national champion, captured second first major international All-around title at Blume, hitting the top scores of the meet on Vault (14.800), Uneven Bars (14.900) and Floor Exercise (14.400) to post 57.100 in the All-around. Poland's Marta Pihan-Kulesza was the only gymnast to break into the 14s on Balance Beam (14.100) and dazzled the audience with her rendition of "The Pink Panther" on Floor for second place (54.950). 2016 Olympic hopefuls Ana Filipa Martins (POR, 52.950), Georgina Hockenhull (GBR, 52.450) and 39-year-old Oksana Chusovitina (UZB, 52.250), who came to Barcelona with coach and former Soviet teammate Svetlana Boguinskaya, rounded out the top five.

Oleg Verniaiev (UKR)

Oleg Verniaiev, whocontinues to rise in the world of international gymnastics, added another title in what has been the biggest year of his still young career. The Ukrainian started slowly on Floor (13.800) but went on to etch the highest scores on Pommel Horse (15.600), Vault (15.400) and Parallel Bars (16.000) to score 90.400, giving him an easy win over silver medallist Sergio Sasaki (BRA). For his part, 22-year-old Sasaki continues to upgrade his routines -- at Blume he showed a handspring double front pike half out as his first pass on Floor Exercise.

Roxa Popa (ESP)

Russian transplant Andrei Likhovitskiy (BLR) earned bronze on the strength of strong routines on Pommel Horse and Parallel Bars. His 87.150 in the All-around placed him well ahead of 2012 Olympian Andreas Toba (GER, 83.850).

The Blume Memorial, now in its 37^th year, honors Joaquin Blume, a Spanish great who won four gold medals at the 1957 European Championships in Paris. Blume died tragically in an airplane crash in 1959.
* Source: f i g

♦♦ 37^th Memorial Joaquin Blume 2014
        - Barcelona, Spain, November 15 -
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* WOMEN's Results
1. POPA Roxana Nedelcu   ESP - 57,100
2. PIHAN-KULESZA Marta POL - 54,950
3. MARTINS Ana Filipa      POR - 52,650

4. HOCKENHULL Georgina GBR - 52,450
5. CHUSOVITINA Oksana    UZB - 52,400
6. KAESLIN Ilaria                 SUI - 52,200
7. COLOM Claudia              ESP - 51,750
8. TIMM Michelle GER - 51,300
9. DEAGOSTINI Franchesca ITA - 51,300
10. OCOLISAN AnaMaria ROU - 50,250
11. GAMELL Laura ESP - 49,350

* MEN's Results
1. VERNIAIEV Oleg        UKR - 90,400
2. SASAKI Sergio           BRA - 88,250
3. LIKHOVISTKEY Andrei BLR - 87,150

4. TOBA Andreas       GER - 83,850
5. ZONA Jim              FRA - 82,950
6. RUGGERI Paul       USA - 81,900
7. HALL James          GBR - 81,650
8. BAZAN Christian ESP - 81,550
9. TICCHI Lorenzo          ITA -81,550
10. LOPEZ Ruben        ESP- 81,150
11. TALLON Alberto     ESP - 76,500
12. ZAPATA Rayderley ESP - 74,800

♦ ... coming next:

Also in memory of the big Spaniard Joaquin BLUME the 54^th FESTIVAL BLUME Gran Canaria 2014 - one of the biggest event in general gymnastics ("Gymnastics for All") - will start at November 20^th at the Island Gran Canaria.

(GYMmedia will report from there next week).