Will it again be a golden Olympic double?

Olympic Champion 2000: Irina Karavayeva,  Alexander Moskalenko (both Russia)

It would indeed be a historical triumph if the first Olympic Champion in Trampoline (Sydney 2000) could repeat his victory and this is certainly possible in both the women's and the men's event.                                              Especially Irina Karavayeva seems to be capable of that but also her team mate Alexander Moskalenko, who probably is the most experienced gymnast in the field of participants, can be fit right in the decisive moment and that is a very important issue in this discipline   However, also a fall from the established gymnasts is possible, thinking back to the course of the season since the last World Championships in Hanover. There Germany's Henrik Stehlik even managed to beat Olympic Champion Alexander Moskalenko,

Since then none of them had another real success. However, that was the case for Russia's Alexander Rusakow (RUS) who won the Pre-Olympics this year in Athen's Olympic Hall. Following that he won the World Cup in Upplands Väsby in Sweden and was only narrowly beaten by the Ukrainian Juri Nikitin at the European Championships in Sofia. So Nikitin is the top favorite in Athens; also he dominated again at the recent Nissen-Cup in Switzerland.
Nikolai Kassak comes to Athens with his bronze medal from the European Championships and the experienced David Martin from France has been third at the World CHampionships in Hanover. Also Germany's Henrik Stehlik has high Olympic aims...! However, surprises are certainly also possible and at first everyone has to qualify in order to take part in the Olympic final of the best eight gymnasts.

In the women's event the Olympic Champion from Sydney Irina Karabayeva still has the largest potential, the most difficult program:                                                                                      However, only once during the cause of the year she really managed to come through the routine perfectly, in Sofia where she became European Champion in front of her team mate Murina and Claire Wright from Great Britain. Before the ECh's Irina set up a new record of difficulty with the index of 15.3...! If she manages to stick the routine twice her competitors probably won't have much of a chance but that means for her she has to risk a lot! World Champion Karen Cockburn from Canada won the recent Nissen-Cup and Claire Wright was the winner at the World Cup in Moscow.