European Championships - Rhythmic Gymnastics - 04. - 06. April 2003

Even if the presentations of each group have only been short today it still was possible to get a first impression: A great variety of choreographies, many well-prepared teams as well in senior's as also in the junior's field. After the first training impressions it can be said that even at this early stage during the year a high-quality competition can be expected.

Everyone has been very interested in the training of Ukraine - not only because of their two top-gymnasts Tamara Yerofeeva and Anna Bessonova who obivously are in a very good form but also because it is the first time this year that this Ukrainian group presents themselves in an international competition in this very important season. It could be seen in today's training that the current World champion in one routine als wants to win a medal at this European Championships. -

Tomorrow evening the group from Moldova will start the competition in the junior's field, the number one in the senior's field will be the group from Switzerland.

NEWS
03-Apr-2003		German
The final day before the ECh's start
Also the judges have prepaired themselves	Slowly the stage fright is starting among the participants of the European Championships in Riesa. Each delegation is allowed to train on the competition floor once a day which is a kind of final rehearsal before the competition for the groups starts tomorrow. As well as the gymnasts also the judges have prepaired themselves for the competition today. They have spent many hours watching the training today in order to be able to judge the routines as good as possible tomorrow.
Even if the presentations of each group have only been short today it still was possible to get a first impression: A great variety of choreographies, many well-prepared teams as well in senior's as also in the junior's field. After the first training impressions it can be said that even at this early stage during the year a high-quality competition can be expected. Everyone has been very interested in the training of Ukraine - not only because of their two top-gymnasts Tamara Yerofeeva and Anna Bessonova who obivously are in a very good form but also because it is the first time this year that this Ukrainian group presents themselves in an international competition in this very important season. It could be seen in today's training that the current World champion in one routine als wants to win a medal at this European Championships. - Tomorrow evening the group from Moldova will start the competition in the junior's field, the number one in the senior's field will be the group from Switzerland.		The group of Belarus
By the way: In the venue "Erdgasarena" is room for about 3,500 spectators. The ticket sale went quite well up to now so that for Sunday there are not much more tickets left... Attractive European Championships can be expected and everyone is looking forward for them to start.
	Presentation with hoops and balls: Germany (left) and Italy
From Riesa reports Sonja Schmeißer and Dirk Zimmermann (Photos), Translation: Lisa Worthmann
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NEWS
01-Apr-2003
ECh's- Press Conference: Attractive event and many spectators expected

	Everyone in the venue "erdgas arena" is very busy before the European Championships start at the upcoming weekend: While the competition venue is being prepared the first groups and individual gymnasts train in the additional gyms. As well one of the favorites Zarina Gizikova (RUS) is checking the venue of the European Championships as also the two German groups and the individual gymnasts Lisa Ingildeeva and Evgenia Ramich do the same. - The German team then took part in the press conference and has also been asked to be available for the TV-teams, photographers and for interviews.
Press Conference, Opions and Statements: This ECh's - "... a real candy!" Dimitrios Dimitropoulos (GRE), Vice-President of the European Gymnastics Union: This European Championships will present us very interesting competitions which are even more important as they take part before the qualification for the Olympic Games which will take place this autumn. I also hope that this ECh's will present a good impression through the broadcasts in the media which our sport really needs. Heide Bruneder (AUT), President of the Technical Committee of the UEG: We wish us a lot of spectators as this event is the "candy" among our championships! You will see, this mixture of groups and individual gymnasts will be interesting to watch. 22 nations take part here, 22 junior groups, 16 senior groups and 17 individual gymnasts. Manfred Kucht, UEG- Director Marketing / Communications: This European Championships from Riesa will be broadcasted by Eurovision in 11 countries. The Greek TV will transmit live, other countries like Italy and France will show a large part of the competition. The broadcasting rights have been sold event to places like Hongkong, Australia, China, India and Singapore.	Press conference before the Ech in Riesa
	Hans-Jürgen Zacharias (GER), President of the Organising Committee: This event is one of the highlights which we as the German Gymnastics Federation have hosted together with the city of Riesa during the last years. Now we hope that our gymnasts can use their home field advantage and will present good results.
Wolfram Köhler, mayor of the city Riesa: While here the finals of the ECh's are running, we are only 6 days before the German National Olympic Committee will make a decision about which German region will apply to host the Olympic Games - So for us with the application of Leipzig and the region Saxony it is the last European Championships in an Olympic discipline before the decision will be made and this is why it is very important to us. We have asked the people in this region to demonstrate their enthusiasm for sports once again and I am convinced that we will have a sold-out venue and a very good atmoshpere. In the venue is room for about 3,500 seats and according to the last information which I have received they will also be needed! Livia Medilanski, German Gymnastics Federation head coach rhythic gymnastics: With our gymnasts we will not be able to fight for medals here but our long-term goal is to do so at Olympic Games in Germany - in Leipzig?. We want to reach the final here, we want to give elegant presentations and we want to be good in September when it comes to qualifying for the Olympic Games 2004.

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NEWS
German
European Highlight in an imortant year

	The European Championships - Groups Seniors and Juniors, apparatus finals of the 16 best gymnasts from the last European Championships - after the ECh's in Geneva 2001 this is the second time that European Championships take place with this mode. The combination of group rhythmic gymnastics which has a steadily growing popularity and the best European individual gymnasts makes this event to one of the most attractive ones at all in RG. 16 Senior- and 21 Junior- groups have entered this competition field. In this important year with the qualification for the Olympic Games 2004 (at the World Championships in September in Budapest) the value of these Championships is even higher. In the groups field all World-class groups will take part in Riesa - the favourites from Russia as well as Greece, Ukraine, Belarus, Bulgaria, Italy, Spain - it will also be exciting to see where the newly formatted German group will end up. The field of individual gymnasts will present the top-stars of last year's season with World Champion Tamara Yerofeeva and World Cup winner Anna Bessonova (Ukraine) as well as the Grand Prix winners Simona Peycheva (Bulgaria) and Sarina Gizikova (Russia). Alina Kabaeva won't take part as she still has to make a break until the middle of April due to a doping suspension.