Glasgow ready to greet the world GymStars!
One week to go, Glasgow is ready to greet the world Gymnastics
stars who will compete for the medals, prize money and World
Ranking List points in the traditional Grand Prix & World
Cup Tournament in the Kelvin Hall, Tue, 25 and Wed, 26 October
2005.
The Start Lists read many Olympic, World and European Champions
along with young talents, whose names, without doubt, will
become popular during and beyond the new Olympic cycle.
The 25 competing countries are using the event as a last
chance for "sharp-honing" their performers before
the World Artistic Championships in Melbourne (AUS), 21-28
November 2005.
Despite being forced into a "mid-week" fixture,
with competitions in Stuttgart (GER) and Maribore (SLO) taking
place in the weekends before and after Glasgow, the event
in Kelvin Hall which is so enjoyed by many top world performers
on the international circuit has been rewarded by a star-studded
entry.
In the Men's events each competitor has a World Master and
other champions in the Start List:
Men's Floor:
Igor Vihrovs (LAT)- 2000 Olympic Champion on Floor
Robert Gal (HUN)- World Cup Final 2004, European 2005 Bronze
medallist.
Jeffrey Wammes (NED)- America Cup Gold medallist on Floor,
2005 European Bronze medallist on Vault
Brandon O'Neil- Winner Ghent 2005
Pommel Horse:
Marius Urzica (ROM)- 2000 Olympic, World and European Champion,
who achieved a maximum score of 10.00 in Glasgow 2001.
Krisztian Berki (HUN)- 2005 European Champion
Robert Seligman (CRO)- Winner Ghent 2005
Rings:
Yuri Van Gelder (NED) - Number 1 in the World Ranking List
for Rings, 2004 World Cup Final winner and 2005 European Champion
Alexander Safoshkin (RUS)- 2004 European Champion on Rings
and Olympic Finalist in Athens.
Vault:
Leszek Blanik (POL)- 2000 Olympic Silver medallist
Robert Gal (HUN)- Sao Paolo World Cup event- Gold, World Cup
Final 2004 and European Championships 2005 Bronze medallist
P.Bars:
Mitja Petkovsek (SLO)- 2000 and 2004 World Cup Final Gold,
former European Champion
Marius Urzika (ROM)- number 5 in the P. Bars World Ranking
List
High Bar:
Aljaz Pegan (SLO)- World Cup winner 2002
Philippe Rizzo (AUS)- 2001 World Championships Silver medal,
2002 Commonwealth Games Champion
In the Women's event Beth Tweddle (GBR), World, World Cup,
European and Commonwealth Games medallist will have a very
strong say in A. Bars and Floor. The other stars present who
will delight the knowledgeable Glasgow audience are Alina
Kozich (UKR) 2004 European All-around Champion, Verona Van
de Leur (NED), European medallist on Floor, Monette Russo,
the new Australian Champion and the evergreen Oksana Chussovitina
(UZB), 1992 Olympic Team Champion and 2003 World Champion
on Vault, who is 30 years old and a mother of a 5year old
son, but keep competing and winning medals at the highest
international level.
The GB Team in Glasgow also includes Imogen Cairns (2003
and 2004 British Junior Champion), Rhian Pugh (2004 European
Champion on A. Bars), Shavahn Church, the athletic British-American
newcomer to the GB Team, Louis Smith (2004 Junior European
Champion on Pommels), Ross Brewer (three times British Senior
Champion and Commonwealth Gold medallist and David Eaton (2001
British Champion)
The real underlying interest in the Women's competition will
be the challenge of the newcomers from Australia, Canada,
China and Russia, who are rebuilding their Teams after Athens,
looking towards Beijing 2008.
The Ninth Glasgow Grand Prix has the makings of a really
memorable competition and will live up to the expected high
standards of performance and organisation which the partnership
between the British Gymnastics, EventScotland and the Glasgow
City Council always produces.
Participating Countries: 25
Algeria (M), Argentina (W), Australia (M & W), Austria
(W), Belarus (M), Canada (M&W), China (M & W), Croatia
(M & W), Denmark (M), Finland (M), France (M), Great Britain
(M & W), Germany (M & W), Hungary (M), Latvia (M),
Netherlands (M & W), Poland (M & W), Puerto Rico (M),
Romania (M), Russia (M & W), Slovenia (M), Sweden (W),
Tunisia (M), Ukraine (W), Uzbekistan (W).
M=Men W=Women
Competition Programme:
Tuesday, 25 October:
1.00pm: Start of qualification
Doors open 12.15pm
Women’s - Vault, Asymmetric Bars, Beam and Floor
Men’s - Vault, Floor, Pommel Horse, Rings, Parallel
Bars, High Bar
Wednesday, 26 October:
6.30pm: Finals
Doors open 5.45pm
Women’s - Vault, Asymmetric Bars, Beam and Floor
Men’s - Vault, Floor, Pommel Horse, Rings, Parallel
Bars, High Bar
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