25. September 2010
Moscow, Russia
Rhythmic Gymnastics
Italy defendet Group Title successfully!
 |
|
The Russian Group wanted the title... |
This afternoon, 29 groups from Australia to Venezuela, competed at the group all-around competition of these year´s world championships, showing each of them two exercises, one with five hoops and a second one with three ribbons and two ropes. The all-around final finished with a big surprise in Moscow: The Italian group is the old and new World Champion again! They repeat their success from last year and won gold for the second time in a raw. On second place came the group from Belarus and on third the local Russians who had a big drop during the hoop exercise where one of the apparatuses went out of the carpet.
... but the Italian gymnasts got gold!
 |
|
The girls from Belarus got silver |
* Groups All-around Final:
1. ITALY - 55.525
2. BELARUS - 54.800
3. RUSSIA - 52.425
> Detailed Results
1. ITALY - 55.525
2. BELARUS - 54.800
3. RUSSIA - 52.425
> Detailed Results
* History repeating
It seemed impossible to beat the Russian group in their hometown, but due to various mistakes, the girls from Italy with two risky and dramatically choreographed exercises were able to win the gold medal again.
Even Belarus scored nearly three points higher than her strongest rivals.
After the retirement of the 2008 Russian Olympic champions, the Russian group is not unbeatable anymore, even if they have excellent gymnasts in ballet and body technique skills, they are not able to show steady performances and two faultless routines at one competition. Nearly at all major events, except the European Championships 2010, they had one exercise not only with small mistakes, but with serious drops.
This year´s result is the same than last year´s at Mie World Championships, where the Russian group did a disastrous hoop routine, so that again today their strongest rivals could beat them.
After the retirement of the 2008 Russian Olympic champions, the Russian group is not unbeatable anymore, even if they have excellent gymnasts in ballet and body technique skills, they are not able to show steady performances and two faultless routines at one competition. Nearly at all major events, except the European Championships 2010, they had one exercise not only with small mistakes, but with serious drops.
This year´s result is the same than last year´s at Mie World Championships, where the Russian group did a disastrous hoop routine, so that again today their strongest rivals could beat them.
 |
|
The German delegation in Moscow |
* Ranks 4 to 10
Behind the Russian group placed Israel, Bulgaria and Japan.
On eighth rank came the German group that scored very good 25.900 points in the mixed routine, but had some problems with the hoops and could reach not more than 24.950, nevertheless the best result for a German group in years even if the girls maybe wanted to do better after their 4th place from the European Championships this year in Bremen.
Behind the Russian group placed Israel, Bulgaria and Japan.
On eighth rank came the German group that scored very good 25.900 points in the mixed routine, but had some problems with the hoops and could reach not more than 24.950, nevertheless the best result for a German group in years even if the girls maybe wanted to do better after their 4th place from the European Championships this year in Bremen.
Surely very happy are the girls from Switzerland with their ninth place, after working very hard for many years, they finally got a little reward for their efforts being between the best 10 groups in the world to the first time in its history!
On 10th place came the Hungarian group.
On 10th place came the Hungarian group.
* Unlucky Spain
It started very unlucky for the Spanish group. The Spanish girls, usually always between the eight best in the world, had to perform with the extra-gymnast in one of the exercises due to an injury of one of the habitual group members, Alejandra Quereda. They did had a nightmare of hoop exercise with several drops, lost body elements and two times a hoop out of the carpet, for what they got only 20.800 points. After that, they could control their nerves and score 25.150 points what meant a spot in the final tomorrow, but only rank 15 in the all-around.
This seems not be the only headache for Spain at the moment, they seem to pass a serious internal problem, of financial and personal origin. The Spanish newspapers reported that the delegation was menaced to be thrown out of the official hotel because of non-payment, but the Spanish Federation replied that this is not true and that the problem was an administrative one and the hotel paid.
This year´s all-around also was the qualifying competition for the next world championships in 2011 where only the best 24 groups from these edition are allowed to compete.
Next year in Montpellier the best 10 groups compete to qualify for London 2012 Olympics, but for Georgia, Brasil, Australia, Venezuela and Great Britain this dream ended already in Moscow placing 25th to 29th they won´t have the chance to fight for an Olympic spot next year.
It started very unlucky for the Spanish group. The Spanish girls, usually always between the eight best in the world, had to perform with the extra-gymnast in one of the exercises due to an injury of one of the habitual group members, Alejandra Quereda. They did had a nightmare of hoop exercise with several drops, lost body elements and two times a hoop out of the carpet, for what they got only 20.800 points. After that, they could control their nerves and score 25.150 points what meant a spot in the final tomorrow, but only rank 15 in the all-around.
This seems not be the only headache for Spain at the moment, they seem to pass a serious internal problem, of financial and personal origin. The Spanish newspapers reported that the delegation was menaced to be thrown out of the official hotel because of non-payment, but the Spanish Federation replied that this is not true and that the problem was an administrative one and the hotel paid.
This year´s all-around also was the qualifying competition for the next world championships in 2011 where only the best 24 groups from these edition are allowed to compete.
Next year in Montpellier the best 10 groups compete to qualify for London 2012 Olympics, but for Georgia, Brasil, Australia, Venezuela and Great Britain this dream ended already in Moscow placing 25th to 29th they won´t have the chance to fight for an Olympic spot next year.