2007 World Championships Draw
The Draw for the World Championships in Artistic Gymnastics
in Stuttgart (GER) was held on Wednesday, 20th June 2007 at
the renowned Hans-Martin Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, the
host of this most important event for the year, which will
also serve as Olympic Qualifications for Beijing 2008 and
will be held in the week 1st-9th September.
A record number of some 517 gymnasts (283 men and 234 women)
representing 84 national Federations will take part in these
Championships, with only the top 12 out of the 24 Men’s
and Women’s Teams taking part, proceeding further to
Beijing, together with 26 Individuals.
Women’s Draw:
24 Teams and 16 Mixed Teams divided into 10 Subdivisions
Great Britain will perform in the last, the 10th Subdivision
together with France, Canada and Mixed Team 9. In view of
the standards and the previous achievements of these three
teams (FRA-10th, GBR-11th, CAN- 14th in Aarhus’06),
one could easily predict a dramatic ending of Competition
1, meant to outline the top 12 Teams winning the visa for
Beijing.
Ironically the current World Champions China will have to
compete in the very first Subdivision. The 2006 Silver medallists
USA have been drawn in the 9th Subdivision and the Bronze
medallists from Russia, in the 7th Subdivision.
Romania (4th in Aarhus) are in the fourth Subdivision; Ukraine
(5th)- in the third Subdivision, Australia (6th) - in the
fifth Subdivision.
Men’s Draw:
24 Teams and 23 Mixed Groups divided into 8 Subdivisions
2004 Olympic Champions and current World Silver medallists
Japan and the resurrecting gymnastic might of Russia (Bronze
in Aarhus) will set the tone in the first Subdivision in Stuttgart.
Great Britain have been drawn in the second Subdivision together
with Kazakhstan and Switzerland.
The 2006 World Champions China’s toughest opponents
in the 4th Subdivision is expected to be Belarus (5th in Aarhus,
but former World Champions), while Team medal-aspiring Romania
will fight with the USA and Netherlands in the 6th Subdivision.
Ukraine, Italy and Greece are set in the 7th Subdivision
and Korea, Spain and Germany - in the last, 8th Subdivision.
The Drawing of Lots was held in the presence of FIG President,
Professor Bruno Grandi and the two Technical Presidents, Adrian
Stoica (Men) and Nelly Kim (Women).
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