Francesca Jones and GB Team win the 1st LG International
 Francesca
Jones (GBR) won the Senior All-around competition of the 1st
LG Rhythmic Gymnastics International at Fenton Manor Sport
Complex, in Stoke on Trent on Saturday, 7th April (60.317),
followed by the Bulgarian Monika Vedrichkova (Silver, 60.133)
and Demetra Mancheva, Canada (Bronze, 57.783).
The second British Senior in this event, Heather Mann was
only 0.341 points short of the rostrum, finishing in fourth
place.
The Junior section was dominated by the Russians, Diana Botsieva
(Gold) and Yana Loukonina (Silver) with the Canadian Clara
Bernier winning the Bronze.
The best British Junior, Francesca Fox, was also close to
the medallists (fourth).
Seven countries took part in this very attractive event which
revealed much of their potential for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic
Games: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Canada, Russia,
Slovakia and Great Britain.
In this respect, the well-deserved victory of the GB Team
(Seniors: Francesca Jones and Heather Mann and Juniors: Francesca
Fox, Maria Popova, Rachel Smith, Keziah Gore and Jade Faulkner,
led by National Coach Nadia Alexandrova), is very encouraging
and revealing the huge progress achieved by all the gymnasts
over the last two years.
The GB’s winning Total score was 147.125. Second was
Canada, 145.616, third Czech Republic, 136.450 and fourth
Slovakia, 137.850.
Russia, Bulgaria and Belgium didn’t present full teams
and competed only with individuals.
The top eight Juniors and Seniors on each piece of Apparatus
will compete for the medals in the Apparatus Finals tomorrow,
Sunday, 8 April, from 1:30pm and the competition will be shown
LIVE on the BGTV (www.bgtv.biz).
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