December
18, 2000
Several
Stars Hit Zenith In Paris
Five
different gymnasts claimed the men's events, and Ukraine's Olga Roschupkina
was the only multiple champion among the women, at the Zenith Tournament
in France.
2000
Olympic floor champion Igors Vihrovs
of Latvia won his specialty, having dropped to fourth at the recent World
Cup final in Glasgow.
On
pommel horse, France's Eric Poujade
defeated Olympic winner Marius Urzica
of Romania.
Hungary's
Szilveszter Csollany
and Greece's Dimosthenis Tambakos
finished first and second, respectively, on rings, as they had done at
the '00 Olympics.
France's
Yann Cucherat
won parallel bars, and countryman Florent
Marée, the '98 Junior European champion,
won high bar.
Roschupkina
won gold on uneven bars and balance beam.
Faltering
to third place on bars was two-time Olympic event champion Svetlana
Khorkina of Russia, who had just finished
a two-month tour of the U.S.
Russia's
Yelena Zamolodchikova
placed first on floor, one of two events she won at the '00 Olympics.
Also
returning to post-tour competition was Khorkina's male teammate Alexei
Nemov, who was fifth on both floor exercise
and high bar.
Men's
Floor Exercise
Igors
Vihrovs (LAT) 9.725
Jordan
Jovtchev (BUL) 9.700
Dmitry
Karbanenko (FRA) 9.600
Florent
Marée (FRA) 9.500
Alexei
Nemov (RUS) 9.000
Men's
Pommel Horse
Eric
Poujade (FRA) 9.875
Marius
Urzica (ROM) 9.400
Florent
Marée (FRA) 9.300
Jordan
Jovtchev (BUL) 9.300
Yevgeny
Podgorny (RUS) 8.450
Men's
Rings
Szilveszter
Csollany (HUN) 9.825
Dimosthenis
Tambakos (GRE) 9.750
Jordan
Jovtchev (BUL) 9.750
Yann
Cucherat (FRA) 9.550
Yevgeny
Podgorny (RUS) 8.000
Men's
Parallel Bars
Yann
Cucherat (FRA) 9.700
Dmitry
Karbanenko (FRA) 9.550
Marius
Urzica (ROM) 8.750
Yann
Cucherat (FRA) 9.550
Yevgeny
Podgorny (RUS) 8.000
Men's
High Bar
Florent
Marée (FRA) 9.350
Jordan
Jovtchev (BUL) 9.225
Benjamin
Varonian (FRA) 9.050
Yann
Cucherat (FRA) 9.000
Alexei
Nemov (RUS) 8.800
Women's
Uneven Bars
Olga
Roshchupkina (UKR) 9.700
Yelena
Zamolodchikova (RUS) 9.675
Svetlana
Khorkina (RUS) 9.350
Alexandra
Soler (FRA) 8.350
Elvire
Teza (FRA) 8.100
Women's
Balance Beam
Olga
Roshchupkina (UKR) 9.325
Delphine
Regease (FRA) 9.225
Viktoria
Karpenko (UKR) 9.125
Ludivine
Furnon (FRA) 9.125
Yekaterina
Lobaznyuk (RUS) 9.100
Women's
Floor Exercise
Yelena
Zamolodchikova (RUS) 9.775
Viktoria
Karpenko (UKR) 9.725
Svetlana
Khorkina (RUS) 9.525
Nelly
Ramassamy (FRA) 9.475
Anne-Sophie
Endeler (FRA) 9.275
Rhythmic
Ball
Yelena
Vitrichenko (UKR) 19.800
Eva
Serrano (FRA) 19.800
Aurélie
Lacour (FRA) 19.000
Rhythmic
Ribbon or Rope (choice of either)
Eva
Serrano/ribbon (FRA) 19.800
Yelena
Vitrichenko/ribbon (UKR) 19.700
Aurélie
Lacour/rope (FRA) 18.800
Rhythmic
Hoop
Eva
Serrano (FRA) 19.800
Yelena
Vitrichenko (UKR) 19.650
Aurélie
Lacour (FRA) 18.900
December
17, 2000
Antwerp
Gym Gala
All
announced gymnasts showed up (except the Belgian females) including Simone
Amanar, Andreea Raducan, Sabina Cojocar, Svetlana Khorkina, Elena Zamolodchikova
and Viktoria Karpenko on the women's AG side and Alexei Nemov, Olexandr
Beresch, Marian Dragulescu and Evgueni Podgorni for the men's AG. It was
a mix of all the different types of gymnastics. Most of the gymnasts did
not show their best skills but this really doesn't matter at a gala. They
used the new vaulting horse for the vault and it was rather disappointing
as both men and women only showed a simple salto. Sabina Cojocar did a
great beam performance even though she had to go off the beam for twice.
After Andreea Raducan's floor display the audience threw many stuffed animals
on the podium which was a lot of fun. Overall, the gala was great.
(Sourse:
Bernhard Schwall)
December
14, 2000
Raducan's
appeal rejected
12,-Dec-2000
LAUSANNE/SUI --
The
Swiss supreme court has thrown out Romanian gymnast Andreea Raducan s suit
seeking to regain the gold medal that was stripped from her in Sydney after
a positive drug test, the IOC said Tuesday.
IOC
director general Francois Carrard said the court notified the IOC last
week that it had rejected the suit but had not given reasons why.
"They
totally rejected her appeal," Carrard said. "We didn't even have a chance
to express our point of view. They received the appeal and then if they
think at first look that it is without merit or totally unfounded, they
throw it out."
The
IOC stripped the 17-year-old Raducan of her gold medal in the women's all-around
event after she tested positive for the banned stimulant pseudoephedrine,
apparently contained in a cold medicine given to her by a team doctor.
The
Romanians first appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which upheld
the IOC decision. Raducan then filed suit against the IOC in Switzerland.
Carrard said the gymnast could still appeal to the European Court of Human
Rights if she wished. "But if this happens, it would not be Raducan versus
the IOC, but Raducan versus Switzerland," he said. "And she would have
to go for gross violation of due process or some other grounds. However,
we feel that the level of the panel and the procedure in Sydney was fairly
conducted." Tested after the all-around competition, Raducan's sample
came back positive, with a reading of 90 nanograms of pseudoephedrine per
milliliter of urine, more than three times the allowable limit of 24 nanograms
per milliliter. Suffering from a cold and fever, the tiny gymnast had been
given Nurofen by team doctor Ioachim Oana, who apparently did not know
the medication contained the banned substance or was unaware the substance
was on the banned list.
The
IOC has since awarded the gold to Romanian Simona Amanar.
The
IOC allowed Raducan to keep her gold from the team competition, and the
silver from the vault event, since another test then had come out negative.
December
13, 2000
Gymnasts
attending the gala on the 15th of December
Alexei
Nemov RUS; Svetlana Khorkina RUS; Elena Zamolodchikova RUS; Evgueni Podgornyi
RUS; Irina Karavaeva RUS; Alexander Moskalenko RUS; Yulia Barsukova RUS;
Alina Kabaeva RUS; Russian RG Group; Elena Blouchina RUS; Alexei Krychanovski
RUS; Alexei Batienko RUS; Polina Lymareva RUS; Andrei Jokovlev RUS
Olexandr Beresch UKR; Viktoria Karpenko UKR
Simona Amanar ROM; Andrea Raducan ROM; Sabina Cojocar ROM; Marian Dragulescu ROM; Gheorghe Mois ROM; Claudiu Moldovan ROM; Remus Nikolai ROM; Izabela Daniela Lacatus ROM
Greek RG Group
Chrystelle Robert FRA
Sigrid Persoon BEL; Jessica Jans BEL; Damien Debecker BEL; Aline Van den Weghe BEL; Elke Van Maldegem BEL; David Maes BEL; Kim Van Waes BEL
December
12, 2000
Due
to Sveta not taking part in European Events as she took part in the TJMaxx
tour, Simona Amanar has overtaken her in the Gymmedia World Rankings. Sveta
had been on top of the World Rankings since 1998 but is currently in second
place.
December
11, 2000
Glasgow
World Cup 2000 - Day 2
Men’s
Artistic Vault
Current
British Champion Kanukai Jackson
earned a green card to vault with the world’s best and did so in style.
His handspring double front vault earned the highest score of any of the
vaults performed. Unfortunately, he couldn’t quite control the landing
on his second vault and ended up with an average score of 9.356.
This eventually placed him 6th, but it was a commanding performance by
the 22 year old.
The
second competitor in the final, Marian Dragulescu
(Romania) stuck his first vault, adding his signature half twist to the
handspring double front. His second vault was well performed too and the
final score of 9.700
proved too hard to beat for the rest of the finalists.
The
reining Olympic Champion on Vault, Gervasio
Deferr (Spain), came close with 9.625
to claim the Silver and Evgeni Sapronenko
from Latvia, another event specialist, vaulted well for 9.606
and the Bronze medal.
Men’s
Artistic Parallel Bars
The
Gold medal went to Mitja Petkovsek
(Slovenia) who scored a well deserved 9.800
for an excellent routine that included the very high straddle somersault
that has become his trademark. Alexei Bondarenko(Russia),
who was the only one to stick his dismount perfectly, was placed second
to win the Silver medal with a score of 9.725.
Aljas Pegan (Slovenia)
showed very elegant lines and difficult turns in handstand to score 9.675.
Joo-Hyung Lee
(Korea) tied this score with great double somersaults between the bars,
for a shared Bronze medal.
Men’s
Artistic High Bar
The
Men’s High Bar was won by Olexander Beresh
(Ukraine) (9.762).
He performed a spectacular routine packed withmintricate in-bar work as
well as a combination of a full twisting and then tucked Kovacs.
Second
was Aljas Pegan
(Slovenia) (9.750)
who included the double front half out move that has been named after him.
He was also the only one to perform a triple somersault dismount.
Ivan
Ivankov (Belarus) earned the Bronze medal
with a 9.700.
Women’s
Artistic Beam
Simona
Amanar (Romania) (9.575)
started the final off with a well-balanced routine that was steady and
precise. The first competitor to really challenge her score was China’sLing
Jie, who is the reining world champion on
beam. She was very precise and light-footed, but missed a vital connection
between jumps, which brought her start score downto a 9.475.
Penultimate competitor Andreea Raducan
(Romania), had a few slight hesitations but hit all her connections and
the dismount for a score of 9.650
and the Gold medal.
At
the press conference after competition, when asked how the World Cup ranked
in importance compared to World Championships and Olympic Games, Andreea
replied: “For me and all other Romanian competitors it doesn’t matter what
competition it is. We respect the organisers, the judges, the audience
and the coaches and therefore always want to put in an outstanding performance.”
Women’s
Artistic Floor
The
Event got off to a great start with current Olympic Floor Champion Elena
Zamodlodchikova from Russia. She performed
her difficult routine with ease and poise to set the standard at 9.675.
Twenty one year old Simona Amanar
(Romania) turned in a great performance at her last competition before
retirement from the international scene to score 9.662.
China’s Dong Fangxiao
equalled this score, tumbling to lively Greek music. The last gymnast to
perform, Andreea Raducan
from Romania (9.687),
finished the 2000 competitive season in style with an expressive routine
that earned her a second gold medal.
When
asked what Artistic Gymnasts can learn or take from rhythmic gymnasts,
Andreea commented: “Rhythmic Gymnastics is a very difficult sport as well
and I admire the gymnasts a lot. I really like their leotards and wish
we could wear them in the artistic competitions”.
Rhythmic
Ball
Yulia
Barsukova (Russia), Olympic all-around champion,
set the standard. She performed a breathtaking routine choreographed to
the “Dying Swan” from Swan Lake. She gave a demonstration of this routine
at the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow after the Olympics and looked every inch
the prima ballerina here in Glasgow. She eventually claimed the Silver
with a 9.837.
Yulia
Raskina (Belarus) (9.775)
had one slight mistake once catching the ball, but otherwise performed
very well for the Bronze medal.
The
last to perform was charismatic Alina Kabaeva
(Russia) (9.875),
who displayed amazing flexibility and supreme control during her elegant
routine to claim the Gold medal.
Rhythmic
Ribbon
When
Alina Kabaeva’s
score of 9.900
was displayed there were cheers of delight from the audience. Executing
a routine that allowed her sparkling personality and skill to shine through,
Kabaeva beat fellow Russian Yulia Barsukova
(9.750) and Yulia
Raskina (9.725) from Belarus.
Kabaeva
was asked what the Rhythmic Gymnasts can learn from the artistic gymnasts
and with an approving smile she commented “I admire the artistic gymnasts
a lot as they perform such immensely difficult skills”.
December
10, 2000
Glasgow
World Cup 2000 - Day 1
Gymnastics
World Cup Final off to a spectacular start
Men’s
Gymnastics Floor
The
Men’s Floor final was won by Gervasio Deferr
(9.725) from Spain. The powerhouse from Barcelona
said that he was really happy to prove he can perform outstandingly on
Floor, after missing the opportunity to win a medal in that Event in Sydney
through a mistake in the qualification round. As reigning Olympic Champion
on Vault he hopes to repeat that performance tomorrow and achieve another
gold.
2nd
- Keyle Shewfelt (CAN): 9.650
Jordan Jovtchev (BUL): 9.650
Women’s
Gymnastics Vault
Women’s
Vault was a repeat win for Elena Zamolodchikova
(9.581) of Russia, she was crowned Olympic
Champion in this Event in Sydney. Asked if she took a break after the Olympics,
she said matter-of-factly that she couldn’t, as she had more competitions
to do - so she just kept on training! She finished by commenting that she
hoped to win floor tomorrow as well.
2nd
- Simona Amanar (ROM): 9.387
3rd
- Yoanna Skowronska (POL): 9.374
Rhythmic
Gymnastics Rope
The
Gold was won by current world champion Alina
Kabaeva (9.875) from Russia. At the press
conference, Alina said “I feel happy about today’s gold medal, but want
to concentrate on winning two more tomorrow.“
2nd
- Yulia Barsoukova (RUS): 9.825
3rd
- Irina Tschaschina (RUS): 9.725
Men’s
Pommel Gymnastics Horse
The
men graced the arena again on Pommel Horse and this was another repeat
of the Olympic Gold medal, as Marius Urzica
(9.837) from Romania turned in a flawless
performance. He was surprised when questioned if he would now retire and
replied “I plan to continue through to the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.”
2nd
- Ivan Ivankov (BLR): 9.750
3rd
- Xing Aowei (CHN): 9.700
Women’s
Gymnastics Uneven Bars
The
second women’s artistic Final was the Uneven Bars. China’s Ling
Jie (9.800), the Silver medallist in Sydney
in that Event, won the gold here with a near perfect performance. Afterwards,
she confidently stated that she did expect to win this final, and she did
just that!
2nd
- Alanna Slater (AUS): 9.662
3rd
- Andreea Raducan (ROM): 9.425
Rhythmic
Gymnastics Hoop
The
rhythmic women performed with wonderful poise and charisma with the Hoop.
Olympic all-around champion Yulia Barsukova
(9.850) proved she is one of the top ladies
in the field with a perfect performance. She told the press afterwards
that it was a great feeling to be on top of the rostrum again.
2nd
- Alina Kabaeva (RUS): 9.837
3rd
- Yulia Raskina (BLR): 9.812
Men’s
Gymnastics Rings
Last
final of the day was Men’s Rings. Once again, an Olympic champion graced
the top tier of the podium, with Szilveszter
Csollany (9.812) from Hungary, the Olympic
Champion on that Event, on winning form with a strong performance.
He commented “I am very happy”, having proved once more that he is the
world’s top rings performer.
2nd
- Jordan Jovtchev (BUL): 9.800
3rd
- Ivan Ivankov (BLR): 9.787
December
9, 2000
It's
confirmed, Sveta's not taking part in Glasgow. She wasn't at training yesterday
and wasn't on the latest competitor's list too. Produnova's not taking
part too but I expect the two of them will be taking part in the Gala in
Antwerp later this month. Sveta is currently in Moscow.
December
6, 2000
More
news on Glasgow and I gotta warn you, this time the news is really bad
for Sveta fans. Though not confirmed yet, Sveta seems unlikely to make
it to Glasgow. She is taking part in an event called "Rock "N Roll Challenge".
It was previously known as "Floor Wars". It will be on the night of Dec.
6th (US time). Cindy Prokana, a friend of Morgan White's mother, helped
to design Svetlana's costumes. The show will be televised at US at a later
date.
December
6, 2000
Only
2 days to go before the World Cup Final in Glasgow (8th - 10th December).
Some people have been telling me that Khorkina and Produnova have decided
not to go in the end but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
December
6, 2000
Australian
dynamo Trudu McIntosh sadly has had to pull out of the World Cup Final
due to injury. In the Vault Final in Glasgow she will be replaced by Yoanna
Skowronska (POL) and in the Beam Final by Alana Slater (AUS)
December
3, 2000
Nothing
much happening around lately so no news to report!