Senior Women's Apparatus Finals
2 May 2010
Yesterday saw the British team claim a fantastic Silver medal and Sunday gives the opportunity for four of the Senior gymnasts as well as Billie Mackenzie from the Junior team to add to team GB’s tally.
It will be the busiest day so far at the NIA, with all four apparatus being contested. The top eight gymnasts on each piece from qualifications earlier in the week will compete for the title of European champion with the Juniors on show in the morning and the Senior gymnasts performing in the afternoon.
In the Junior section, the Russians have been fantastic so far and they qualified first and second for all the apparatus finals, apart from the Floor. All around champion Victoria Komova will shine on the Vault and Beam with teammate Grishina expected to swing to a Bars gold. Romania will provide a strong challenge to the Russians on the Floor through Diana Bulimar whilst in the Beam final we will see Billie Mackenzie perform for Great Britain.
Beth Tweddle has been far and away the best gymnast on both the Bars and the Floor during qualifications and Team finals and it would be testament to her focus this Championship if she can continue this form through to Sunday’s finals. As has been the case through much of the event, the greatest challenge will come from Russia, with 15 year old Aliya Mustafina fighting for Bar, Beam and Floor medals. Her teammate Myzdrikova has some unique skills on the Floor which have not all come off so far and these two may provide the biggest threat to Tweddle on the respective pieces. Rebecca Downie has looked strong on bars so far and should not be discounted from the battle for medals on this piece.
Ana Porgras has looked very classy on beam but limped out of Saturday’s Team Final leaving the beam final as a somewhat open event. On vault, another Russian Tatiana Nabieva qualified first and her challenge is expected to come from 2009 World medallist Arielle Kaeslin as well as her teammate Kurbatova. Nicole Hibbert competes for Britain in this event while fellow Brit Niamh Rippin has made the Floor final.
All results are provided by Longines and are available by clicking here.
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