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19th November - LATEST NEWS FROM MELBOURNE!
ROSS AND LOUIS BEGIN PODIUM TRAINING IN SUPERB LINE UP OF THE WORLD’S BEST GYMNASTS
JUST 3 DAYS LEFT TO WAIT UNTIL WORLD’S BEGIN!
The Men’s Podium training at the Rod Laver Arena this morning mirrored the Qualification day of the World Championships which take place in 3 days on Tuesday 22 November.
Divided by the draw into three Subdivisions, the gymnasts and their coaches had to test the apparatus and its reaction to the podium, the lighting and their reaction to the space and the atmosphere of this enormous arena. Three times British Champion Ross Brewer who will be competing on all six apparatus, performed in Subdivision 1. Ross started on one of his best apparatus, the Pommel Horse, and performed immediately after Kim Dae Eun from Korea who was the 2004 Olympic Silver medallist in the All-around, and he finished with his Floor routine.
The second British competitor, Louis Smith, 2004 European Junior Champion on Pommels was seeded by the draw in the last, third Subdivision. The 16-year debutant in World Championships will obviously need strong nerves and good self-confidence in the Qualifications, since he is competing in the company of the two “Greatest of the Greats” on this apparatus- 2000 Olympic Champion and multiple World and European Champion Marius Urzica (ROM) and the 2004 World Cup Final Champion Xiao Qin (CHN).
Subdivision 1
In general, it does not contain the strongest specialists, but there was clear evidence of good all-around competitors in this Group, in particular Liang Fuliang (CHN), Todd Thornton (USA) and Sergei Khorokhordin (RUS). Todd Thornton, a newcomer in this company showed exceptional work on P. Bars, High Bar and Rings, and will definitely feature the all-around final. Specialists who may not make it to the Rings Final, but whose work deserves special attention are Said Eldariny Walid (EGY) and Irodotos Georgallas (CYP), 2002 CWG gold medallist in a tie with the Scot Steve Frew. The French gymnast Raphael Wignanitz impressed with mastery on Floor. A concern was the injury to Alexander Markov (BUL) on High Bar; who was feared to have broken his leg after hurting himself on a triple dismount from the Horizontal Bar during Podium Training, but Bulgarian Officials later confirmed that he is recovering well ahead of Tuesday’s qualifying Events.
It was surprising to see that the Korean Yang Tae Young who lost the Gold Olympic medal to Paul Hamm in Athens and was expected to seek revenge in Melbourne, will not compete in the all-around. Other gymnasts from Subdivision 1, to keep an eye on during the Qualifications are Kim Dae Eun (KOR), 2004 Olympic Silver medallist, Rafael Martinez (ESP), 2005 European Champion, Hisashi Mizutori (JPN) and Dimitri Savitski (BLR).
Subdivision 2
The outstanding performances in this Subdivision were from Yuri Van Gelder (NED) on Rings, Louis Rivera (PUR) on Floor and Pommels, Brandon O’Neil (CAN) on Floor and Vault, Leszek Blanik (POL), also on Vault, and Filip Yanev (BUL), on Floor and Vault. Consistency personified was Evgeni Sapronenko (LAT) who landed perfectly four Handspring double fronts. Denis Savenkov (BLR) also looks a strong contender for the All-around. The 19-year old gymnast from Botswana Mothibi Kutlwano, who is making his first appearance at this level gave a very fair impression. He is training in Cape Town, South Africa, under a Russian coach, because his native Gaborone does not have a specialised gymnastics facility as Botswana’s first representative to compete in a World Championships.
Subdivision 3
On every apparatus, on every rotation, an outstanding contender appears.
In rotation 1- Mitja Petkovsek (SLO) and Ivan Ivankov (BLR) duel on P. Bars.
In rotation 2 - Igor Cassina (ITA) and Ajaz Pegan (SLO)- on High Bar.
In rotation 3 - Marius Urzica (ROM) and Xiao Qin (CHN)- on Pommel Horse.
In rotation 4 - Jeffrey Wammes (NED) and Hiroyuki Tomita (JPN) on Floor.
In rotation 5 - Jordan Jovchev (BUL) and Mateo Morandi (ITA) on Rings and Li Xiaopeng (CHN) and Marian Dragulescu (ROM) on Vault.
Rotation 6- Marius Urzika and Li Xiopeng (CHN) on P.Bars.
Throughout this Subdivision there will be many other great gymnasts potential medallists and finalists Gervasio Deferr (ESP) and Yernar Yerimbetov (KAZ), but it is the head to head competitions listed above which will give an added attraction to the event.
Hardy Fink (CAN), FIG Director of Education and Academy Programmes summarised his impressions from the day as follows: “I have seen some pretty extraordinary performances today. I think the level of preparation is higher than expected. It is good news that we have witnessed some excellent performances from many countries without a long history and tradition in gymnastics (Cyprus, Egypt, Puerto Rico and others). For me it was wonderful to see Botswana participating at its first World Championships and Espen Jansen (37) from Norway at his record-breaking 11th!”
18 November - LATEST NEWS FROM MELBOURNE!
ZAMO AND ANNA IMPRESS ON FLOOR
Elena Zamolodchikova and Anna Pavlova unveiled their new Floor Routines today drawing lots of admiring gymnasts and comments. Anna’s routine contains beautiful dance elements and Zamo’s explosive tumbling could see them on the medal rostrum.
- MARINE DEBAUVE INJURY WORRY COULD AFFECT HER ALL AROUND CHALLENGE
French star Marine Debauve, the current European All Around Champion is carrying a back injury, but trained for a full session with team mates Emilie Le Pennec and Isabelle Severino. It is still not known whether Debauve will compete a full program during qualification next Wednesday.
Coach Adriana Pop was out on the floor, running the girls through the training session and working on body form during pirouettes with the girls.
Earlier this week Marine protected her back during training, and French coaches were unsure whether she would compete in the All Around competition. Debauve will compete on some apparatus at this stage with coaches to assess Debauve's fitness closer to the competition. France will be strongly represented in the All Around, even without Debauve, by veteran Isabelle Severino and Olympic Bars champion, Emilie Le Pennec, who both trained strongly today.
BETH’S OK AFTER FALL ON BARS !
Great Britain’s Beth Tweddle sent a scare momentarily through her team when she fell on one of her release’s while training on bars. Tweddle, ranked number one in the world on this piece, landed heavily, flat on her stomach and lay on the mat for quite some time before jumping up and telling her coaches she was ‘okay.’ After being taken to hospital at European’s where she suffered concussion, after a heavy landing, the whole team must have breathed a huge sigh of relief. The British number one soon eased her way back into training, rubbing her chin after hitting it when she landed.
The GB Team look particularly strong on Bars with newcomer Shavahn Church and European Junior Champion Rhian Pugh both impressing with good lines and technique.
USA MEN MISSING PAUL HAMM BUT CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS
At the USA men’s team Press conference today the team consisting of Jason Gatson, Yewki Tomita, Kevin Tan, Todd Thornton, Sean Golden and Justin Spring.were asked if they missed Paul Hamm.
Jason Gatson confirmed that that Hamm hopes to return in the next couple of years. He added ‘You know we miss him but he is off doing his own thing and we support him and are looking forward to him coming back.’ Hamm is currently concentrating on his education. Todd Thornton added ‘You know Paul is a guy who hit almost all of his routines all the time. Anyone who can do that you know it is a great job.’
Gatson was also asked how it feels being back at a major competition after the Athens Olympics?
"It feels great. This is my third World Championship team. I had a couple of surgeries earlier in the year, so to get back on this team is truly an honour. I am just excited about being here. I am looking to take home a medal”
Realistically what does he expect to take home:
"Well, parallel bars is my event that I am doing here and things are going well with the routine. I would love
to do my best in both events, prelim and hopefully make it through into the final. If I can nail a routine
there, you know anything is possible. The main thing is we have got a good group of guys here and we are
here representing our country and I think we are all hoping to do our best."
He is aiming to compete at the Beijing Olympics, ‘I definitely plan on sticking around and would love to be a part of that team for 2008. That would be my second Olympic experience and that is my goal right now.’
On rivalry with the successful US Women's team and aiming to get a few more medals than them:
"You know always, but I think the main goal for us to do our job and I think everything else will happen . Like I said the guys are strong and if we go out there and nail our routines. If we do that we will just leave it up to the judges and see what happens."
MEDIA INTEREST GROWS IN USA WOMEN’S TEAM
Interest in the four girls American girls Nastia Liukin, Chellsie Memmel, Alicia Sacramone and Jana Bieger is mounting, with local media keen to talk to the girls following training.
Nastia Liukin's profile continues to rise, with local media interested in not only gymnastics, but her two recent acting roles. While she was happy to be involved in the Adidas commercial and the Disney feature film, 'Stick It', Liukin is quick to point out that gymnastics is her focus right now and acting is something she may want to pursue “after gymnastics”.
17 NOVEMBER LATEST NEWS FROM MELBOURNE
GREAT BRITAIN VERY HAPPY WITH TRAINING
GOOD PERFORMANCES IN TRAINING AS THE COMPETITION IS JUST DAYS AWAY
The GBR Team arrived in Melbourne on Tuesday and have already recovered from jetlag and are following a strict twice a day training regime.
“All is well, no complaints whatsoever”, said Paul Hall, the personal coach of Louis Smith , from Huntingdon Gym Club, who, after the closing of the final entries is the youngest male competitor in the Championships after he turning 16 on 22 April. “Louis is very good at handling this level of competitive pressure, so it was at the European Championships in 2004 when he won the European Junior title on Pommel Horse and also at a number of international events. We believe he will prove his innate talent once again in the Qualifications taking place on Tuesday. Louis will only compete on Pommels and our most experienced gymnast, Ross Brewer aged 26 from Sutton School of Gymnastics, will compete on all six pieces for the All-around. Following the long trip, he is suffering a slight cold, but we believe that he will be in his best form for the start of the event, next Tuesday”.
“One of the things that make this Championships is, that, for the first time, the Judges are not allowed to watch the training sessions. We the coaches, find this a positive decision by the FIG. It prevents the judges from forming a definite opinion about the gymnasts long before the actual competition”.
Andrei Popov, the British National Junior Coach believes that Melbourne will be a top level gymnastics event and it will be a tough and intriguing challenge for the medals.
“The number of gymnasts who impress with excellent preparation and extraordinary routines seems greater than ever. To try to predict the medal winners here is a real gamble”, stated Popov.
While Ross Brewer and Louis Smith are having their second training of the day on Thursday, in the Rod Lever Training Hall, the GBR Women are training in the other training facility, the Vodafone Hall, some 100 metres away.
As expected, the centre of the attention is Beth Tweddle aged 20 from Liverpool, the 2003 World Bronze medallist, 2002 Commonwealth Games Champion and 2005 World Student Champion on A. Bars. She has already given an interview for the Australian Host Broadcaster, Channel 10.
Come the training on the A. Bars, it is obvious that not only Beth, but also Shavahn Church aged 16 who is a British-American newcomer to the National Team from California, and Rhian Pugh also 16 and the 2004 Junior European Champion on A. Bars from Bristol, could all impress the judges with their maximum Start Values of 10. Is GBR the new up-and-coming threat on this apparatus? It could well be, depending on the performances on the day when Women’s’ Qualification begin on Wednesday 23 November.
Another debutant at Senior level, Imogen Cairns (also 16), from The Academy Gym Club (near Bristol), is also looking good in training, getting ready to compete on Floor and Vault.
With only two out of ten 2004 Olympic Champions missing from the Start Lists; 53 countries being represented in the Men’s competition and 41- in the Women’s, together with an abundance of fresh talent coming into the spotlight, the 38th Artistic Gymnastics Championships promises to be a truly memorable event.
- JUSTIN SPRING TO COMPETE TRIPLE TWISTING DOUBLE BACK IN OPENING TUMBLE!
At the USA men’s team conference, Justin Spring was given a poster advertising the World Championships in Melbourne, as the slogan is ‘It’s Spring Time in Melbourne.’ Spring said his coach had joked with him that the World Championships have been named after him.
‘I thought that was pretty cool. I saw it on the website when it first got uploaded. My coach John told me about it. They got a thing dedicated to you and I was like ‘What?’. So I went up and saw it.’
Spring also revealed that his opening pass on floor is a triple twisting, double back. He added ‘I guess that is fairly original. It is two backflips and you incorporate that with three twists in one skill. On high bar I am doing a Cassina (named after Olympic champion Igor Cassina from Italy.’
When asked how long it takes to nail this skill, Spring commented ‘You kind of train it on and off. I have been doing it for a few years but I didn’t really seriously consider it until this new Code when I needed a few more tenths. I have stuck with it and it should be ready to go.’
MARTA KAROYLI’S DELIGHT AT PREPARATION FOR WORLD’S!
The eternal mother figure and Head Coach Marta Karolyi is delighted with the USA Team’s preparation for the World Championships which included Internationals against Great Britain, Switzerland and Italy earlier this year. Marta commenred ‘This Team is really a TEAM! We are working together; we are having our system of periodic training camps, of verification of the gymnast’s preparation.’
Marta added ‘We always give a chance to those gymnasts who are ready and best prepared. Good preparation and the right approach to the competition - these are the two key words. If these two things are in place, then the good results will inevitably come. Hopefully this happens in Melbourne!’
AUSTRALIAN TEAM CAN’T WAIT TO START!
Coach Peggy Liddick feels confident that her girls will perform well. Monette Russo, 17 the new Australian all around champion and the two debutants Monique Blunt, 16 and Olivia Vivian, 16 are ready to begin their campaign for glory in front of a passionate crowd who would love to see an Australian medal .
‘We had a great, 10-days training camp in Canberra after the World Trials and I have a good feeling before this competition. Ask any coach around the world how they feel at this moment of time, and I am sure, you’ll get the same answer - we all want our gymnasts to show their best in the competition. If this happens, then the results take care of themselves,’ said Liddick.
Monette Russo will be the only Australian to compete in the all around. Monique Blunt will probably compete on floor and Olivia Vivian on bars with the possibility to take their chance on another apparatus, depending on Liddick’s decision.
‘I’m just treating it like any other competition. I love the crowds. It will be good to have them (family and friends) finally watch me compete. It just feels like another competition because sometimes they come and watch me overseas too,’ said Russo. She added that “We had a really good preparation in Canberra, we’re ready to get out there and have a go”.
Liddick commented that Olivia Vivian deserved her place on the Worlds team as she was the most consistent gymnast throughout the trials. Vivian said ‘It is great and since it is my first National team, what a better opportunity than to represent my country at home turf.’ Monique Blunt was also excited about competing and said ‘I try not to think of it as a big meet, just like any other.’
When asked what expectations she had for the women’s team, Liddick said ‘Like any coach, I just want the girls to perform to their best ability. That’s what I’m asking for and they know not to expect anything less…Three gold medals is any coaches dream. I want what any coach asks, for the girls to perform to the best of their ability. If they go out and do that, the will take care of themselves. I don’t have a crystal ball so I can’t predict what will happen.’
Liddick has also asked her gymnasts to avoid using their mobile phones so they won’t be distracted by family and friends wishing them well. ‘Being strict is part of my job and I must say the girls respect my advice!’ and when asked about how she has prepared the girls to compete in front of a hometown crowd said "We have talked about it and are trying to make the hometown situation, not a disadvantage. It doesn't matter where you are it is still a gymnastics competition."
‘All these gymnasts have achieved maximum start value of 10.000 pts on their best apparatus. All of them are well prepared and ready for the Championships, which we take as an important part of our preparation for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in March 2006 and also as a first qualification stage for the Olympic Games in Beijing 2008.’
DIEGO AND DANIELE HYPOLITO SET TO SAMBA AT WORLD’S
One of my personal highlights of World’s will be seeing the amazing Brazilian fan’s reaction to their gymnast’s performances and that special relationship between gymnasts and fans. At the Birmingham World Cup, the fans were doing the Samba in delight as dos Santos struck Gold, and siblings Diego and Daniele Hypolito gave fantastic performances and ran over to celebrate with their fans. Now all three gymnasts will compete in Melbourne where Daniele will compete in the All Around, with her strongest piece is Beam which she is currently ranked 8th in the world. "My aim is to put on a good show and make Brazil proud of us. I am hoping to enter the finals, and of course I will fight for the medals", she said.
Daniele started gymnastics as a five-yearold. "I definitely inspired Diego to go into gymnastics. He is two years younger and he started when he was seven. It's probably genetics that we are now both competing internationally."
Diego punched the air in delight after his wonderful Floor routine at the World Cup Finals where he successfully landed a new tumbling sequence. Wouldn’t it be a fantastic story if both brother and sister make the Finals and seeing those fabulous celebrations once again in front of a global TV audience.
JEFFREY WAMMES HOPES FOR GOLD ON VAULT
Netherlands team member Jeffrey Wammes admitted he was a little nervous in the lead-up
to the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships next week as he prepared for Tuesday’s qualifying rounds. The 18 year old student, who has already enjoyed World Cup success this year said his preparations are going well. "I'm doing All Around so I'm hoping to get into the All Around final. And maybe Vault. I think Vault is my biggest chance."
He was not shy about admitting his main competitors, either. "I think the same names always come up. The Romanians and some of the Russians." Wammes said everything he does was towards his long term goal of making it to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Jeffrey isn't the only gymnast in the Wammes clan. His older sister Gabrielle was a successful member of the Dutch women's gymnastics team who came second in the 2002 European Championships.
LI XIAOPENG INJURES HIS BACK DURING TRAINING
China’s reigning World Champion on vault, Li Xiaopeng strained his back during training as he worked on perfecting his vaults. Li put all his efforts into training parallel bars and vault during the session but avoided landing hard on his feet due to sustained injuries on his ankles. ‘Xiaopeng is not yet fully familiar with the new turning in the beginning of the routine. We’ve only worked on it in the past two months,’ said coach Xiong Chen.
During his vault training, Li landed in a forward roll. ‘He is being really careful about his feet. He is carrying old injuries and does not want to land on his feet too much.,’ After several intense runs on the vault, Li strained his back during a mount. Asked whether Li was looking to retire soon,’ Chen commented ‘I hope he can make it to the 2008 Games in Beijing.’
LIUKIN DECIDES NOT TO PERFORM QUADRUPLE TWIST
Meanwhile American star Nastia Liukin, has decided not to perform her quadruple twist on Floor at this World Championships. Liukin became the first woman to perform the move successfully at the US Nationals earlier this year, is training the move, but after discussions with US National Coach Martha Karoyli and her father, Valeri Liukin, she has decided to avoid the strain on her body and perform her old routines instead. "I don't really think I will be doing the quad, just because it is a lot of training and stress on my body and my Achilles and everything," said Liukin after training at Vodafone Arena on Thursday.
RUSSIA BUILD TOWARDS BEIJING!
Russian men’s coach Eugene Nikolco is hoping to assess the men’s team’s readiness for the 2008 Beijing Olympics during the Worlds. ‘For us, this World Championships is part of our preparation for 2008. We want to check how effective is our program and how far our gymnasts have yet to work,’ he said.
After seeing other men’s teams in training, Nikolco believes that the level of men’s gymnastics has increased significantly. ‘China, Japan, America, France, Belarus even Australia are all very strong.’
Cheung Fei to perform her new Vault as China unveils new Routines.
Amidst all the speculation of "will she, or won't she", China's star vaulter Cheng Fei has confirmed she will attempt her new vault at next week's Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. The vault involves a backward 180-degree flip and forward 540-degree flip. As an experienced gymnast at International Level, she does not become nervous before the competition, except when she tried the new vault at the recent Chinese National Games. "I have never been that nervous in my life. It was as if I did not know how to run and jump anymore. I was almost dizzy. I just had to restore myself to the same rhythm as during training and kept going." Fei also attempted her new vault at the East Asian Games a few weeks ago, but she fell and it cost her the gold medal. However after much practice, including a search by the Chinese Team for a soft pit to practice her landing Fei said "I was initially concerned that I won't be able to do the jump here as the spring board might be too hard. After training however, I actually felt that it might work. I tried the jump yesterday morning and was able to do all the moves."
The vault will be awarded a 10.000 start tariff and will be named after Cheng if she successfully lands the vault during competition. She is the strongest competitor for China on vault, an apparatus which is traditionally the weakest event for the women’s team, but if she hits the landing, she could become China’s first female World vault champion. Head Coach Lu Sham said “ Our aim is to make everyone take notice of our team, and show what we have in store for 2008, I think she has prepared well for this. "
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Zhang Yufei will also show a new routine on the Uneven Bars. The team which consists of Cheng Fei, Fan Ye, Zhang Nan and Zhang Yufei, is the cream of the crop of the Chinese female gymnastics. "Our gymnasts are used to training, then competing; rather than competing successively and learning through that. We decided this time to give them a little taste of that. It is good practice. We also wanted to come to this international meet and see where we are after one year's work. He added that he feels the strongest competition will come from the US, Romania, Brazil and Russia.
16th November - BETH WASTES NO TIME IN HITTING TRAINING ARENA
Great Britain's Beth Tweddle may only have arrived in Melbourne last night, but wasted no time in hitting the training halls at Rod Laver already on Wednesday morning. The 20 year old British Champion who is ranked number one in the World on Bars, is a University Student has been working on her gymnastics for between 25 and 30 hours a week. She spent the morning perfecting her routines, and said "I've been working to get them up there and get them stable. It's a great chance to show what I've been doing for the last year."
Not only is Tweddle hoping to do well in her favourite apparatus, she is also looking for a good result on the Floor. Beth is now a prominent name on the gymnastics circuit, and is frequently the centre of both media and fan’s attention, but she paid a glowing tribute to the efforts of her team mates, "People are now seeing Great Britain as a gymnastics nation and people are looking for us," she said.
Tweddle aims to return to Australia in the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, and said the Canadian and Australian teams would be Great Britain's toughest competitors.
USA ARRIVE IN MELBOURNE CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS
Team USA arrived in Melbourne yesterday (15th November) and had its first training session today. Reported in The Age newspaper in Australia, the team believes it will win every women’s event at the World Championships. Coach Mihai Brestyan said the team’s strength and the turmoil of the other teams makes it an unmatchable favourite.
The US women’s team has none of its 2004 Olympians but World Cup vault champion Alicia Sacramone and team mates Chellsie Memmel, Nastia Liukin and Jana Bieger have a wealth of international experience.
Team USA was announced on Sunday after a selection process based on the performances at the USA Gymnastics National Training Centre in Huntsville, Texas. Sacramore has just secured her plans for the 2007 season by signing a formal letter of intent to compete for UCLA.
LI XIAOPENG AIMS FOR CHINESE RECORD WORLD’S TITLE NUMBER 12!
24 year old Li Xiaopeng is currently ranked second in the world on parallel bars and is a leading contender on vault with a total of 10 medals from his World Championships appearances, one behind Chinese legend Li Ning. He is due to compete on Parrallel Bars and Vault where he hopes to break the Chinese record for World Championships medals.
Unfortunately, Li has been troubled by an Achilles tendon injury recently which affected his performance at the 2004 Olympics. He commented ‘I am still carrying the injury in my ankle, but I feel that I am almost back to form.’
He is the only experienced International in the Men’s Team, but when he was asked about the younger team members, Li is confident in their performances. ‘This is a good opportunity for them to gain some experience in the international arena and to prepare for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.’ After a memorable win on the parallel bars at the Sydney Olympics, competing again in Australia may bring some luck to Li. ‘Yes, I am hoping that is the case,’ he said.
CATALINA PREPARES FOR CLASSIC COMPETITION ON BEAM
Olympic and European Balance Beam Champion Catalina Ponor from Romania will attempt to complete the Balance Beam hat trick by winning the World Championships Title in Melbourne next week.
The eagerly awaited beam event promises to be a classic competition as the 2003 World Championships Silver medallist takes on the defending World Champion Fan Ye from China. Ponor has been in stunning form in recent weeks winning two World Cup Events on this apparatus, but a superb line up includes USA sensation Nastia Liukin who won the USA All Around Title as well as Gold on Beam in August. Other top contenders include European Championships silver medallist Marine Debauve who hopes to overcome a niggling back injury, and European bronze medallist Anna Pavlova.
Catalina will also compete on Floor where she won a Gold Medal in Athens where she will be up against crowd favourite and current World Champion Daine dos Santos with her incredible tumbling skills. Other strong contenders for podium finishes include European Champion Isabelle Severino (FRA), and her team Emilie Le Pennec as well as British Champion Beth Tweddle who has been in terrific form in recent World Cup events, with Susanne Harmes from the Netherlands also in contention. Look out for too for GB’s Imogen Cairns who won the English Championships a month ago and is making her World Championships debut, and could also do well based on recent form.
IVANKOV RETURNS TO WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH NEW ROUTINE
Belarussian gymnastics veteran Ivan Ivankov is careful when discussing his chances at the 2005 FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Melbourne next week. “I don’t like to talk too much about my chances. All I know is that I have a new routine,” said
Ivankov, who began the sport in 1980 in Minsk.
The 30-year-old has returned from injury and will will be participating in his first major international event since the 2004 Athens Olympic Games, where he placed fourth in the Parallel Bars final behind Valeri Goncharov from the Ukraine, Hiroyuki Tomita of Japan and Xiaopeng Li, who are also competing at this year’s World Championships. While the new generation of gymnasts are younger, Ivankov at least has experience on his side, having competed on the international circuit for over 12 years with the National team.
“Everything is going good,” said Ivankov, who has been troubled by serious injuries throughout his career. “I am looking forward to trying the new routine and the tricks involved. I am in good shape.”
Ivan Ivankov has an outstanding record at World Championships winning a total of 11 medals after winning his first medal in 1993.
Belarussian legend Vitaly Scherbo has won the most medals overall at World Championships, with a stunning total of 23 -- including 12 gold.medals which will be very difficult to beat.
15th November - DEFERR HOPES TO ADD WORLD TITLE TO DOUBLE OLYMPIC GOLD!
Two time Olympic Vault Champion Gervasio Deferr from Spain hopes to add an elusive World Championship Gold Medal next week, but faces tough competition. The only gymnast to defend an Olympic apparatus title at Athens, Deferr is yet to win a World Championship medal for the Vault.
Deferr’s previous World Championships have been controversial as he won a Silver Medal on Floor in 1999, and then finished in second again in the Men’s Vault final, but was later disqualified due to a pre -Championships doping offence. Deferr however does not seem confident as he is recovering from an arm injury saying “ I’m not in form at the moment. It’s so hard, fifth place in the Final would be a good job from me”. Could this be a case of trying to lull his rivals into a false sense of security from the highly experienced International?
He faces tough competition in two-time defending Vault World Champion China's Li Xiaopeng, European Champion Evgeni Sapronenko (LAT) and Romania's Marian Dragulescu, who have all fperformed strongly throughout the last World Championship cycle.
Sapronenko finished 2nd in Athens and Dragulescu won bronze so it will be an interesting duel between the three top contenders.
NASTIA TO MAKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS DEBUT IN MELBOURNE.
SHANNON MILLER WON THE AA WORLD TITLE IN BRISBANE IN 1994. US HOPE TO MAKE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN TO OZ.
Reigning US National champion Nastia Liukin will make her World Championships debut in Melbourne next week, after being named on the US Team on November 13. Jana Bieger and Alicia Sacramone will also make their World Championships debut, joining Liukin and 2003 team member Chellsie Memmel on the Women’s team.
“The United States has fielded an incredibly talented women’s team,” said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. “Both Chellsie and Alicia have already demonstrated their strength and dynamic routines against the world’s best, and Nastia and Jana will be showing the rest of the world what they can do on the world stage.
Liukin and Memmel are both in fantastic form, with 17-year-old Liukin beating Memmel to the US National title in Indianapolis in August after a strong performance in the All Around Finals. Liukin sat in third behind Memmel and Bieger following the Preliminary round after her errors on beam left her with a disappointing 8.783 for that apparatus. However, Liukin returned in strongly in the Finals to score a 38.649 to combine to her Preliminary total and earn her first Senior National title.
Memmel will be competing at the second World Championships in Melbourne, after an impreesive performance at the 2003 World Championships in Anaheim, USA. She was selected as an alternate for that event, but moved onto the team when a teammate fell il, and went on to help the US win gold in the Team Final and share the Individual Uneven Bars World title with team mate Hollie Vise.
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Sacramone, 18, is the the 2004 USA Gymnastics Sportswoman of the Year, and is also expected to perform well in Melbourne. Sacramone, missed selection for the 2004 Olympic Team after a disappointing performance at the 2004 US National Championships, but comes into competition ranked 4th in the World on Vault and 5th on Floor Exercise and with National titles on both apparatus.
Memmel and Sacramone dominated the medals at the recent 2005 Pan American Gymnastics Championships in Rio de Janeiro in October sharing the titles between them. Memmel won the All Around, Uneven Bars and Balance Beam titles while Sacramone won the Floor Exercise and Vault titles.
At the last World Championships, 2004 Olympic All Around Champion Carly Patterson won a Silver medal behind Russian legend Svetlana Khorkina who has since retired. Mag 7 member Shannon Miller was the last US woman to win the World Championships All Around Title in 1994 taking the gold ahead of Romanian Lavinia Milosevici and Russian Dina Kochetkova at the 1994 World
Championships which ironically was also in Brisbane, Australia. Miller was able to defend the title from the 1993 World Championships in Birmingham, England and continue the success of fellow American Kim Zmeskal who won the title in Indianapolis in 1991.
Could history repeat itself? We don’t have long to wait to find out as the Women’s Qualifying Events begin next Wednesday 23rd November at the Rod Laver Arena.
OXANANA CHUSOVITINA TO COMPETE IN HER 8TH WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!
Gymnastics legend Oxana Chusovitina from UZB is set to compete in her 8th World Championships in Melbourne. Now aged 30, Oxana is also an experienced Olympics veteran after competing in four Olympic Games. She is an outstanding competitor who is a good role model to younger gymnasts who is still competing at an exceptional level winning several medals in the current World Cup series, and it is terrific to see her at the World Championships. Her husband, Bakhodir Kurbanov is a former Olympian who competed as a Greco-Roman wrestler. Kurbanov finished 5th in his weight class at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
MEN’S CHAMPIONS TO DEFEND THEIR WORLD TITLES IN MELBOURNE
Four gymnasts in the Men's competition will be defending titles from the 2003 World Championship in Anaheim, USA.
* Jordan Jovtchev (BUL)
Floor Exercise - shared with Paul Hamm (USA)
Still Rings - shared with Dimosthenis Tampakos (GRE)
* Takehiro Kashima (JPN)
Horizontal Bar
Pommel Horse - shared with Haibin Teng (CHN)
* Xiaopeng Li (CHN)
Parallel Bars
Vault
* Dimosthenis Tampakos (GRE)
Still Rings - shared with Jordan Jovtchev (BUL)
(Note: Hamm and Haibin Teng are not competing in Melbourne)
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