British Women ready to add to their reputation
The British Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Squads (Seniors
and Juniors), led by the World, European and Commonwealth
Games medallist Beth Tweddle, are flying out to Volos, Greece
on Sun, 23 April, ready to defend their image of a top class
gymnastics nation at the European Championships (27-30 April
2006).
Following her ankle injury sustained prior to the Commonwealth
Games in Melbourne in March, Beth Tweddle confirmed her participation
in the Championships, on A. Bars only.
According to her personal coach Amanda Kirby “in her
recovery Beth feels a little better each day”.
In 2002 Tweddle opened the British European medal account
with a Bronze and in 2004 improved to a Silver medal in Amsterdam,
where Rhian Pugh celebrated her Junior title, also on A. Bars.
In 2004 the GB Junior Team missed the Bronze medal by less
than a point (out of 27 teams), while the Seniors finished
in 5th position (out of 24).
This time 25 Senior and 26 Junior Teams will be challenging
places on the Team rostrum.
The format of the Senior event is the tough 5-3-3 (five gymnasts
in the team, three compete on each apparatus and all their
three scores count towards the Team total) + Apparatus Finals.
The Juniors will experience the less hazardous 5-4-3 format
(five gymnasts in the Team, four compete on each apparatus
and only the three highest scores count) + All-around event
+ Apparatus Finals.
With generation changes going on across all the nations and
a new Code of Points introduced only three months ago, the
question marks remain in abundance.
“We don’t know how the other countries have adapted
to the new Code, which gives priority to the execution of
the exercises and any mistake should now count heavily. There
was not enough time for everybody to settle with the new rules,
therefore, for me any prediction would be a venture too brave.
At the Junior level in particular, the situation is totally
unpredictable! Expect surprises from every corner!”
said Adrian Stan, the British Technical Director for Women.
The following British gymnasts have qualified for
these Championships:
SENIORS:
Imogen Cairns- DOB 26/01/ 1989, The Academy, Coached by Liz
Kincaid; 2006 Commonwealth Games Vault Champion + silver Team
Shavahn Church- DOB 3/05/1989, Heathrow, Vince & Michelle
Walduck; 2006 Commonwealth Silver medal A. Bars + Team
Beth Tweddle- DOB 1/04/1985, Liverpool, Amanda Kirby; 2002
Commonwealth Champion, 2003 and 2005 World Bronze medallist,
2002 (Bronze) and 2004 (Silver) European medallist on A.Bars
Amy Nunes- DOB 16/03/1990, Heathrow, Vince Walduck; 2005 British
Vault and Beam Junior Champion
Melanie Roberts- DOB 13/05/1988, Liverpool, Sarah Attwell;
British Team Champion 2002/2005; Welsh Espoir, Junior and
Senior Champion.
Non travelling reserves:
Amy Fossheim- DOB 02/01/1990, South Durham, Nicola Preston
& Rachel Wright; British Junior Floor Champion 2002, 2003,
2005
Kerri Upton- DOB 30/04/1990, Dynamo, Keith Richardson &
Debbie Hampton
JUNIORS:
Rebecca Downie- DOB 24/01/1992, Notts, coached by Claire Starkey;
2006 Commonwealth Games- Silver Team, Bronze Beam
Hannah Clowes- DOB 24/02/1991, Liverpool, Claire Duffy; 2006
Commonwealth Games; Silver medal- Team England; 5th Floor
Rebecca Wing- DOB 15/07/1992, Heathrow, Vince & Michelle
Walduck; 2004 British Espoir Champion on Beam
Jodie Standish- DOB 20/6/1991, Liverpool, Sarah Attwell, EYOD
Laura Jones- DOB 12/6/1992, Notts, Claire Starkey, 2005 British
Beam Champion
Non travelling reserve: Zoe Allen- DOB 23/08/1991, Wigan,
Michael Lea
Matthew Greenwood, BG Performance Director said:
“2006 is an extremely tough year for the girls, having
just returned from the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and
having to beginning the first stage of Olympic qualification
at the World Championships later this year. The European's
will therefore be a stepping stone for the seniors, but will
provide a great opporuntiy for the Juniors to build upon the
fantastic success achieved by Great Britain in Amsterdam in
2004. Many of the junior team are expected to be in contention
for the Olympic team in 2008 and this event will be the first
exposure for many of them to a major event in front of a large
crowd and competing on a podium. We wish the whole team well
for the coming week”.
The BBC TV Sunday Grandstand on 30th April 2006 will be showing
a one hour highlight from the European Championships. The
transmission is scheduled at 1400-1500 on BBC-2, with Mitch
Fenner and Christine Still commentating
Current SENIOR TEAM Champions (Amsterdam 2004):
1.Romania 2. Ukraine 3. Russia 4. Spain 5. Great Britain 6.
Italy 7. France 8. The Netherlands
Current SENIOR European APPARATUS Champions (Debrecen,
2005):
Vault: Benolli Francesca (ITA
U. Bars: Emilie Lepennec (FRA
Beam: Catalina Ponor (ROM)
Floor: Isabelle Severino (FRA)
Current JUNIOR TEAM Champions (Amsterdam 2004):
1. Russia 2. Romania 3. Italy 4. Great Britain 5. France 6.
The Netherlands 7. Ukraine 8. Croatia
Current JUNIOR ALL-AROUND Champions (Amsterdam 2004):
1. Steliana Nistor (ROM 2. Vanessa Ferrari (ITA) 3. Yulia
Lozhecko (RUS) 4. Aisling Williams (GBR)
Current JUNIOR European APPARATUS Champions (Amsterdam
2004):
Vault- Svetlana Kliukina (RUS)
Beam- Alina Stanculescu (ROM)
Bars- Rhian Pugh (GBR)
Floor- Steliana Nistor (ROM)
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