Yes, Romania cannot participate indeed, as during the 27-29th of June we have Nationals
Thanks for those details. I have found about this scandal during th Europeans but I had absolutelly no idea things were so bad Verona van de Leur will be, however, the most successful gymnast from the Dutch team. I really liked her On the other hand, I believe Dutch gymnastics has a bright future with those wonderful juniors you had at these Europeans
Last edited by ioanavol; 5th June 2008 at 17:47.
Reason: small correction
Thank you very much for the story, Tess. I also knew sth about the scandal, but i tended to take Verona's part, because I also like her. But, i admit, I didn't know the full story.
Suzanne Harmes I also admire 'cause she managed to come back so well after giving birth (I hope I'm not wrong?).
And yes, you have good juniors, whom are also a lot more "a team" I understood, they train together and are friends (I hope it's not only an appearance). If they continue to get along well I'm sure they will have a much better chance for the 2012 OG.
Who is your favourite from the present team, Tess?
And...when are you planning to go to the Nationals? Both days or only on Sunday (I understood Yuri will only compete on Sunday?)
Thank you also for the news about the competition. I won't be there, but I would like to see videos also with the other teams, especially with the Egyptian team, maybe SriEa could tell us sth about them? Now that we have you here you see, we are trying to get advantage of you
Yes our junior team seems to have a lot of promiss. However, our previous junior team did too, but now they are seniors and then all the problems start. Injuries, but also the interests become much bigger (qualification for worlds and olympics). So the friendships somehow turn into rivalry. Not all of course, but some. The coaches also play a big part in that. Because we have all different clubs and no central trainingcentre, it never becomes a real team. The juniorteam indeed seems better in that way. They also have trainingcamps together, like in spring in the US, and before Clermont. I hope they continue doing this when they are seniors, because it really helps the teamspirit. I am affraid though, that the interests (of the coaches, and the clubs, if a club has someone on the national team, the club get extra money from the federation) become too big then. They do seem friends, sometimes have sleepovers with each other, went to an attractionpark and the movies together, so that is great.
My current favourite: I always liked Verona, but recently not that much anymore. I admire Suzanne for coming back after her pregnency (you were right Ioana) but I never liked her gymnastics. I like Lichelle wong on bars and beam, nice lines, but she is very inconsistent. I like Sanne Wevers on beam, nice lines and a great routine. So I do not have a favourite Dutch senior right now.
I do have a few juniors:
first of all Marlies Rijken, she is a gorgeous gymnast from Frank Louter. Great on beam, beautiful lines, standing arabian, but still inconsistent. I believe she has a 6.6 A score in beam. She is finally managing to do bars as well. She struggled for years with it, but now it comes together. On floor she has a lovely double arabian, nice and clean lines and a very nice choreo. Really something to watch at nationals, even though she sometimes runs out of energy at the end. She is weak on vault.
I also like Vera van Pol. She can do a double double on floor, a full in, an arabian, triple twist, working on a piked arabian, really amazing. However no choreo. She is weak on bars, bad lines, but she is improving and has a nice full in dismount. On beam she works sloppy. Hope she works on that. Nice yourchenko full vault.
Celine van Gerner is also great, as is Yvette Moshage, who is very clean in everything she does. A sentimental favourite is Natasja Blind. She has gone through so much the last years, first she had to change gyms because her coach was arrested, then again because the gym was closing, and recently her teammate and best friend Imke Glas was paralyzed, when training vault and Natasja was right beside her. Thank god Imke is alright, miracally recovered. Natasja is very good on bars, and I was really happy she won a bronze at europeans there.
To answer your question: I am going to both days of nationals. And you?
thank you for the info, Tessa You made me really interested in these gymnasts, I'll have a look at their exercises on youtube to get more familiar with them.
I also knew about the tragedy of Imke...I am so glad she's recovering, although from her site I understood she still has some serious emotional trauma...understandable after what she's been through.
I am also going both days, probably Sunday the whole day and saturday evening for sure...but now, that you told me about the juniors, I am very tempted to go on the Saturday morning also. I also want to take pictures, I have a new camera, not very great (lenses are not so good), but I would really like to see if I manage to take decent "moving" pictures
Thank you Tessa for the info about Dutch girls. I knew only about juniors and Imke…
Anyone here interested on US Nationals? I’ve been impressed by Memmel come back… If she manages a good vault Liukin has a competitor for AA finals at OG.
Can anyone please sum up what has been said in the junior competition thread about the junior team nationals for girls? I try to understand Romanian and I do understand some parts, but not all. Thanks very much!
Hi Tess, I'll try to summarize fast and to detail more in the evening.
This is a competition counting for the team ranking and it's qualification for the Nationals in fall. Then we'll see AA and event finals.
The first 36 gymnasts from each category (I, II and III) qualify for the Nationals, but I assume at category I all will qualify, they were only 15, compared to 48 at category III.
IrinaP and cata10 were there yesterday, when category I and III competed.
Today category II will compete.
Here there are the results from yesterday:
Category III
1.Farul Constanta
2.Deva - echipa a II-a
3.Steaua
Category I
1.Deva
2.Steaua
3.CSS 2 Bucuresti
the ranking for category III was:
1.Larisa Iordache-1996
2.Andreea Tufa-1996
2.Geogiana Gheorghe-1996
4.Cristina Stefan-1996
5.Bianca Prunisoara-1996
6.Anca Corlaciu-1996
7.Oana Stefanache-1996
8.Maria Balea-1996
9.Stefania Barbu-1997
10.Ana Maria Crisan-1997
11.Melania Jurchita-1997
12.Andreea Rimniceanu-1996
(Larisa Iordache you can find on youtube, is a great junior, one of our hopes for OG 2012)
Mihaela (IrinaP) told us also sth about the participants at category I (also juniors who went to the Europeans):
Amelia Racea, Claudia Voicu, Raluca Haidu, Loredana Sabau, Florina Dan, Rodica Iurea
Unfortunately we don't have all the results. But Cata told us a bit about the juniors category I, that they were great on beam (15,500, 15, 750 and he thinks also a 15, 800) and good on floor (highest was 14.700 of Amelia Racea). On UB and VT, though, we are still weak, with grades of 13-14.
Diana Chelaru did not participate (maybe still injured??) and Ana Porgras maybe participated, but he wasn't sure about that.
That's about it...we are looking forward to the results of category II from today (cata10 is there, noting down what's happening
thanks a lot Mihaela and Catalin for going there and keeping us posted!!
Thanks Ioana! (and Mihaela and Catalin for the original info). I keep hoping the federation put the results on the website, like they did last year. Unfortunately they did not do that yet for Cat IV nationals, so I have kind of given up for these too... I even send them an e-mail through the contact form, but they never even responded.
Will Andreea Tufa be invited for the national junior team now she performed so well. Last year she was ranked around 10th Cat III, this year she really improved (ranking wise, I obviously have not seen her perform)
Elena Chiric competed last weekend at the gymnastics festival in Trnava (Slovakia). She won the AA with 55.250 (13.700, 12.600, 14,200, 14.750). Other competitors came from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Germany, Hungary and Poland.
Thanks a lot, Tessa
I'm also glad she continues with it, I really did not know about that...I hope there will be some videos soon, I would really like to see her.
Is there already anything known about Cat II at the recent junior team nationals? And do you know who will compete for Romania in Great Britain this weekend?
Thanks!
Friday - 27.06.2008
- warm-up session men (2:00 PM)
- men`s team competition (3:00 PM)
- warm-up session women (5:30 PM)
- women`s team competition (6.30 PM)
Saturday - 28.06.2008
- warm-up session men (1:00 PM)
- men`s AA competition (2:00 PM)
- warm-up session women (5:00 PM)
- women`s AA competition (6:00 PM)
Sunday - 29.06.2008
- warm-up session junior-hopes (9:00 AM)
- EF - junior hopes (10:00 AM)
- warm-up session men and women (2:00 PM)
- EF competition men and women (3:00 PM)
Mikeyy - thanks a lot for the timetable and shedule! It helps me a big deal looking out for it on the TV channels I am getting.
Also Tessa - thanks so much for keeping us up to date on the situation in The Netherlands!! I`ve read about it before and it`s just so sad to see this happen. It really takes all the focus off of the sport unfortunately.
I did not manage to go online here for some time now, so what do you all think about the dual meet in Great Britain from this past weekend? What do you think where the Romanian team is standing now?
You`re welcome Martina.
If I know something about the Tv schedule I will let you know...but I think that TVR2 will broadcast the competition
Well, about the dual meet..I can say that I am a bit disappointed ..there were to many mistakes. Saturaday I was really shocked after that all the girls missed their exercises. But I was very glad for Stela....i heard that she was amazing on bars..and she scored a great mark= 16500
But overall it wasn`t such a good competition. What is your oppinion?
Well, sadly the only channel I am able to watch is TVRi, so I must set my hope on them showing at least a bit also. In the last couple of years I have been lucky with that, so fingers crossed.
I have seen the videos from the final on Sunday (from the dual meet) tonight, and well yes, there were mistakes, but it could be worse. As far as I could see the girls are pretty decent on vault apart from a couple form issues. I did not see Stela or Sandra on this event though. Stela`s bars was great - high flight elements, and her pack salto looked much better this time, too. And she stuck her dismount cold. On beam there were some wobbles, but only Acatrinei fell twice - maybe she was nervous. Floor was nice. Stela`s routine is kind of growing on me now. She competed the double twist instead of the 2,5 on Sunday though cause she fell on the 2,5 on Saturday. Sandra`s floor was very nice though she can still improve on the landing of her Tsukahara in the first pass.
I sure hope the team will be fine in Beijing.
And it`s only 3 weeks and 2 days until the tri-meet here in Germany. I am really looking forward to that and hope to get a good impression on the girls there. I wonder if they will send the exact same team or maybe change some of the girls and eventually give Gutu a chance to compete....
Thanks Tes about the information for the egyptian girls competing... Since both Seniors Rawan Tarek and Heba Mostafa will compete at the same time at Romanian Internationals, I guess the team that will compete at SVOD will be Juniors... hopefully Farida Shoukry, Sandy Effat and Israa Afifi will be among them.
Ioana I have some videos of the Egyptian girls on my site. http://www.freewebs.com/egyptgymvids/index.htm http://www.freewebs.com/intermeets2/...ecchiameet.htm http://www.freewebs.com/intermeets2/...narabgames.htm
My favorites are: Israa Afifi and Rawan Tarek (for sorrow, she suffered an ACL torn like Aluissa one year and half ago and hasn't recovered her previous shape especially because of growing and hitting puberty when she had to take this forced break) I also love very much Salma Mahmoud -although she's very inconsistent and can fall up to 6 times per routine-, Norhan Saad, Sandy Effat and Farida Shoukry.
As for the Rom vs Gbr meet in Ipswich, I had a very positive impression of Steliana. Besides the upgrades, she has cleaned up a lot her gymnastics which most gymnasts are unable to do when they reach a certain high level.
I'm really getting fond of her gym now when before I was only fond of her talent ...and the fact that she's Romanian, of course!
I also appreciated very much Andreea Acatrinei on BB and FX... I wish she can make the O Team... But her VT needs badly some proper technique, i have rarely seen such bad form on a Y1.5. I think it was better before (except for the flexed feet that she already had anyway)
I was somehow disappointed by Sandra Izbasa's performances (she doesn't look in top shape) but I know that Sandra is a tremendous competitor who could rise from her own ashes if she needed to so frankly I won't allow myself to be worried before Beijing. Maybe it is a good sign that she's not peaking yet.
Also disappointed by Gabriela Dragoi's routines who seems to be recovering from injuries (again!) as she's downgraded most of her events.
I can't speak about Andreea Grigore, I had found her wonderful last year in Spain and in Italy as I love her form generally -even with the mistakes- but she rarely hits when it counts so.... what could I say?
As for Dana Druncea, well, I'm not fan of her gymnastics but she seems to have improved on her DTY form-wise (not the preflight which is still terrible but the rest is not as tucked as before and you can say now that at least she has definitely more a laid out form than tucked.)
Thank you very much, SriEa, especially for the info about the Egyptian girls. I am going to watch your videos...I find it quite interesting to get familiar with gymnastics from other countries
Tessa, it was really nice to meet you this weekend at the Dutch Nationals When and if you have time, maybe you can give your impression on the competition? I noticed you know far more than me about elements, code of points etc.
Here my report about the Dutch Nationals for the ones interested. First of all I want to say that I really liked meeting you too Ioana! Hope to see you again at some competition.
Suzanne Harmes won, and she deserved her Olympic ticket. She looks great and for the first time I liked her floor routine. Great piked full in, maybe she can add a tucked version as a fifth pass, like Sandra Izbasa has. Her form has improved, but not on her triple twist. Very crossed legs, but she made it all the way around.
Lichelle Wong had a very bad weekend and was only 5th in the AA. Falls from bars and beam. She said she will continue gymnastics though. Sanne Wevers looked good, but had some wobbles in her beam in the AA. And she fell in the EF. Pity otherwise she would have got a 15.3. Nice floor routine, more difficult now. Deserved second place in the AA. Her twin sister Lieke was the surprise of the weekend. She has been injured for almost 2 years, and this was only her second full AA competition in a very long time. She has lovely lines, is taller than Sanne and very elegant. Still misses difficulty though, especially on vault (handspring front) and floor (double back and 2,5 twist as most difficult passes). She shines on bars (beautiful shaposnikova and yeager, knees together on the double front and great lines/handstands) and beam (her pirouettes are as great as those of her sister, lovely form and stability). I hope she can stay injury free for a long time, then we are going to have lots of joy watching her. She was 3rd AA, 2nd UB and won BB.
Tahnee Masela is still on her way back. Not as good as she was as a junior yet, but she is looking better every time. She won bars. Anne Tritten landed with an overstretched knee her bars dismount (like Patrascu at europeans) and her coach Boris Orlov has to carry her off the podium. Next day she walked without crutches but she could not bend her knee. Hopefully nothing is broken/damaged too much. It is a pity because her floor and especially vault (tsukahara 1,5) had been good.
Marrit Ewald is coming back from a knee injury she sustained prior to european qualifications and is not at her best yet. She grew quite a bit in the past months.
Stephanie Tijmes was OK, but the judges do not seem to like her. Good on floor as always, stayed on beam for the first time ever but still got a low score, struggled on vault.
Maartje Allebes looked nice, especially on bars.
Sherine El Zeiny injured her back and scratched the last event. On Sunday she did compete in the beamfinal but her back was still painful. Verona van de Leur retired prior to the Nationals.
juniors
We have a very nice group of juniors. Yvette Moshage won, with great scores on floor and beam. Lovely gymnast, great lines and only a first year junior. 2nd was Joy Goedkoop, who just missed out at Europeans. She lost to Naoual Ouazzani back then, but she made no mistake at nationals. The surprise of the juniors this season, after 2 years of injuries. She is very strong.
Wyomi Masela was 3rd. She seemed a bit hesitating on beam. Hopefully she was not affraid and the mental problems her sister Tahnee had when she turned senior will not come too her. Won the bronze medal at vault. Great high FTY, that could soon be a 1,5 twist and hopefully a double in the future. Her bars is good, as is floor.
4th was Marlies Rijken, my favourite junior. Still weak on vault (handspring front) and bars (no release yet, but beautiful form throughout untill the landing of he rdouble front). Beautiful beam, she finally gets consistent there, nailed her standing arabian both days and won beam. Beautiful floor routine in Carmen.
Naoual Ouazzani had an off day. Nailed her 1,5Y on vault, after missing it constantly in warm ups, but screwed up on bars (1 fall and a scary gienger, great full in DM though) and beam (2 falls on a free round off and a side somi, after a perfect beginning). She did not perform her new roundoff somi-full. Back to the double twist DM instead of a 2,5. On floor she was great again. High full in. She scored still high 54. If she would not have fallen, she would have scored 57+. Good for a second place in the senior ranks as a first year junior.
Lisa van de Burg has improved a lot this year, but needs to become consistent. Also fell from beam. On floor she has a double arabian and very nice triple twist now. SHe can also do a full in.
Natasja Blind has a nightmare AA. Multiple falls. She won bars on Sunday. Has been injured recently.
Vera van Pol injured her ankle 2 weeks ago when doing a double double on floor at semi finals (after nailing it 3 times in warm up). She only competed bars, very sloppy and not at full difficulty.
Celine van Gerner has concentration and motivation problems after europeans. Hope she can come over it. Won a medal or 2 in EF's.
Jocelynn Kraan is coming back from her knee injury she sustained when falling from beam at the trials for Europeans. She only did bars and won a bronze medal.
Kim Foppen retired and has switched to acrogym.
Youth
Also a very talented generation.
No1 was Ayla Wilbrink, from the same club as the Wevers and Masela sisters. She won all finals she entered: AA, VT, UB and FX. Only BB she did not qualify at semi finals. On bars she has a DLO full as dismount, on floor she warmed up a double arabian (did not compete it) and competed a sky high double pike and 2,5 twist. FTY for vault.
2nd was Tess Moonen, from Pro Patria (trainer is Frank Louter). Only a year ago she switched clubs and has now much more training. Last year she could hardly do a twist and now a 2,5 and double back. She has great posture and basics. Beam is her strongest event. Already a 5.9 A score, and she is 11. Bars no flight element yet.
3rd was Nikki Olijve. Needs to work on her form. Looks to me as a miniature version of Dana Druncea (as long as one can be smaller than Dana).
Other gymnasts competing: Tessa Alberts (pro patria), 2nd on beam after a year full of injuries. Needs another surgery on her elbow, Kaylee Achterhuis (was leading until the last rotation, screwed up beam), same can be said from Melissa Scherpenisse (missed the bronze because of 3 falls from beam), Serena Vlijt (one of my favs, lovely on floor, great presentation). Special mention: Noel van Klaveren: 8th AA. she only trains 11 hours a week because her club has not more facilities and she is great. Of course not enough difficulty, but the others train much more. She can even do a triple twist!
Kendra Pennings retired after nationals because of all the shit around her coach Esther Heijnen.
Romania was also present: judge Anca Grigoras. She judged beam. I am sure she has looked very closely at the Russians and will inform your national team with everything she saw.
Sorry for the long post, there is even more, but this is enough.
Great report, thanks a lot Tessa!! If you allow me, I will translate it into Romanian as soon as I have some time...I think it is nice for everyone to read what you wrote
Verona van de Leur will be, however, the most successful gymnast from the Dutch team. I really liked her
On the other hand, I believe Dutch gymnastics has a bright future with those wonderful juniors you had at these Europeans
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