Budapest

This is why this year in Budapest three generations of women and girls – and together with them a World-wide fan community – also celebrate the 40^th birthday of this “most female” kind of sport.
Altogether 270 gymnasts from 49 nations will compete in Budapest.

INDIVIDUAL:

Exciting encounter of the favorites
Just like 40 years ago the favorites in the individual competition come, at least geographically seen, from the same regions. Considering the run of the season up to now with numerous Grand Prix-, World Cup- and other international tournaments there are three top favorites for the gold medal in the individual all-around: Irina Tchachina and Alina Kabaeva from Russia and Anna Bessonova from Ukraine. The two Russians had won gold medals already at the World Championships 2001 in Madrid (all-around: Kabaeva) but they then were deprived of those titles afterwards due to a doping suspension. So Tamara Yerofeeva (Ukraine) became World Champion.
Further candidates for a medal are Simona Peycheva from Bulgaria (three-time apparatus World Champion 2001) and Inna Zhukova from Belarus.
The battle for the individual medals will be very exciting also as almost all favorites have competed against each other already in different competitions this year – except for Irina Tchachina, who herself has almost everytime achieved the highest scores at all… 

Team competition the decision for the Olympic qualification                                                                                      The Russian team is the favorite in the team competition. They are that strong that they even could leave two-time Grand Prix winner 2002 Zarina Gizikova at home. They start with the aim to win with the gymnasts Kabaeva, Tchachina, Sesina and Kapranova. Further candidates for medals in the team competition are Ukraine, Belarus and Bulgaria between which it will probably be a tight decision. The battle for the places 1 – 5 will be very interesting as a ranking among the first 5 means to have qualified with 2 spots for the individual all

Große Bewährungsprobe für junges deutsches Team
Zu den jüngsten Gymnastinnen des gesamten WM-Starterfeldes gehört die fünffache Deutsche Meisterin Lisa Ingildeeva (TSV Schmiden), die erst im Dezember 15 Jahre alt wird. Gemeinsam mit ihren Vereinsgefährtinnen Eugenia Ramich und Raissa Feldmann wird sie versuchen, ein möglichst gutes Mannschaftsergebnis zu erzielen. Es wird der hochbegabten Gymnastin, die bisher eine sehr erfolgreiche Saison bestritten hat, die Olympiaqualifikation zugetraut. Es wird im wesentlichen davon abhängen, wie Lisa bei ihrer ersten WM mit der nervlichen Belastung fertig wird.

Anna Bessonova (UKR)
three-time European Champion 2003

 Irina Tchachina (RUS) Favorite for the gold medal

GROUPS:
                                                                                                                   Hard battle for rank 8 
Even harder as in the individual competition will be the battle for the only 8 spots for Athens 2004 in the group competition. While the favorites for the medals could mark their positions quite clearly during the run of the season – title holder Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria – there are a lot of groups which come into question for the ranks 4 – 8. Therefore the factor who has the strongest nerves and the best stability will probably be important for the decision in the group all-around. In addition to China, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain and Ukraine also Japan and Brazil come into question – apart from the fact that nobody can predict how well Korea will present itself (vide WCh’s in women’s artistic gymnastics!). It will definitely be a highly exciting competition…!

Favorite for a medal: The Bulgarian group