It was a suspenseful, atmospheric and partly dramatic competition today - and in the end there were deserved winners: The Russian team represented by Alina Kabaeva and Irina Tchachina. The result was even accepted by the vociferous Ukrainian fans - all in all the atmosphere was quite fair despite the duel between Russia and Ukraine, and every single good performance was rewarded with much applause. The professional attitude of Kabaeva was exceptional; she still has an extraordinary presence on the carpet and she is able to motivate herself to the spot. "We did not come to these European Championships in order to fight against anyone, but to show a good competition and to inspire the audience", she answered the corresponding question in the press conference. This was undoubtedly managed.

Natalia Godunko (UKR)

The pressure for the Ukraine as host was huge, and Anna Bessonova could not always cope with it whereas her teammates Natalja Godunko and Tamara Yerofeeva acted excellently. "It was a very difficult burden, indeed", Anna said after the competition. "However, the support of the fans was highly motivating - and tomorrow it will be better..." The chances are not bad, for today she finished second in the individual ranking behind Kabaeva and in front of Tchachina.
We can look forward to a suspenseful fight for the individual gold of these Ech.

Competition, Group A:

The arena of the "Sports Palace" is well filled, the mood is excellent, animators dressed as clowns enliven the audience. A large Russian fan block is present in order to support the defending champion. One would rather associate the ear-deafening noise, that breaks out when the stars are welcomed, with the neighbouring football stadium; such a scenery is not that often in Rhythmic Gymnastics.

Final results:

1. Russia 208,400
2. Ukraine 200,550
3. Belorussia 189,775
4. Greece 181,100
5. Spain 178,600
6. Azerbaidshan 177,300
(all results on navigation "Results")

Almudena Cid (ESP)

Spain: Jennifer Colino, who is competing with her teammate Almudena Cid for a ticket to the Olympics, starts with a solid routine; 21,725; 21,125; inspiring performance with hoop, there she can live out her temperament to the full extent...22,600; The second rotation in the Spanish teams belongs to the popular Almudena Cid who is aiming for her third participation at Olympic Games; she starts with clubs, has to suffer one drop, elates the audience 24,124; sweeping performance with ribbon - she is in excellent shape for the Olympics, and the almost 24-year-old looks marvellous...22,275; she has bad luck with hoop - it flies shortly out off the competition carpet.

Belorussia: Valeria Kurilskaja with her only performance today, ribbon: the 16-year-old scores 22,300; a highly talented gymnast, who already won several international junior and even elite tournaments; the elegant Svetlana Rudalova presents herself completely in violet with hoop: 23,925; with ball 23,400; after a drop with club her routine has a lack of flow... 22,725. In the second rotation Inna Shukova takes over for the Belorussian team - she placed fourth at the Wch and is even more elegant now. She shows an enchanting hoop routine; and then she misses the hoop with her legs in the end position - and it rolls away.... 24,000. With ball, too, she has some smaller problems - in an extremely difficult routine - 25,000; flawlessly with clubs, completely in green, beautiful to watch - 24,400.

Inna Zhukova (BLR)

Ukraine: Ear-deafening noise breaks out in the hall when Anna Bessonova enters the competition carpet; it is a miracle that she is able to hear the music; she makes two mistakes in her club routine, which attests the huge pressure to perform here in front of a local audience at a Ech... 26,125;
Godunko: it is loud again, and now the first cuddly toys fly to the carpet - the audience develops the same temperament as Natalja Godunko in her ribbon routine; such a fast ribbon work can very rarely be seen; the music is an adaptation of the flight of the bumblebee and fits perfectly; she is exceptional! 23,625; Hoop: and another fireworks display on the carpet. The fans can hardly calm down again... There is one small elegant calm section in this routine, everything else is tempo - and competence! 25,700. Bessonova, Ball: she performs a little bit for safety, makes one tiny mistake, she is adorable, however, it is not her greatest show today; 26,550

Godunko, ball: the red hair presumably represent the fire with which the 19-year-old swirls over the carpet, even with ball; the apparatus gets a little bit out of control at the end - 24,025 Tamara Jerofeeva, the 22-year-old former World Champion who completed one of the longest and most successful careers in the history of RG, with her only routine at the Ech at home: With a gorgeous clubs routine to "Roxane" she gives her welcome and at the same time her farewell and gets celebrated and celebrated ... 25,300 Bessonova with ribbon: a difficult, classy routine, however, again not flawlessly performed; she has to accept two mistakes... 23,025 At the end she presents her Swanlake routine with hoop - but today is not her day, she loses the hoop shortly, still a routine of class...26,200

Tamara Yerofeeva (UKR)

Russia, Tchachina, immediately after Bessonova, gets also celebrated by the audience and makes also two mistakes...! A drop of the ribbon and a winding section that was not wished as it happened... Great nervousness of the best gymnasts! 26,025;

however, the hoop routine is a class of its own, once she slightly has to run after the hoop, everything else is clear, technically perfect, with spectacular throws; 25,250; directly after Godunko Alina Kabaeva performs for the first time - but how! With her ball routine to new music - a reference to the Greek host of the Olympic Games 2004 - she clarifies what she is planning to do tomorrow. Everything fits, she does not appear to be nervous at all and is simply top! 27,400 - until then it is the highest score and Russia is clearly in the lead; Kabaeva with her extravagant club routine is excellent - however, even she has to suffer a drop! That hardly lowers the overall impression, she acts as at the most great competitions - confident and shining.... 26,450.

Tchachina with clubs - confident and of first class, now she even smiles a little and is glad; she is still the gymnast who performs with the clearest technique, everything is made perfect; 26,200
Kabaeva creates suspense: She throws her ribbon far away and has to untie it shortly - even a World Champion cannot compensate that: 23,850; she reopens the battle for gold...
Then her last performance for today as "Carmen" with hoop: it is incredible how she can perform after a fluffed routine! Even though she performs a little bit for security - she seems to need such suspense and atmosphere in order to get in top form. 25,525
It is Irina Tchachina who will finish the competition; after her ball routine she appears visibly relieved, she performed without mistakes 26,625 - this is the victory!

Greece:
Pallidou with ribbon 21,000 - the Greeks perform in a way as if to make it evident that the Olympics at their home are about to take place; they are good, they improved continuously and they will finish with a very good team place in case they continue how they started! Pallidou: the small gymnast demonstrated her performances exactly with excellent technique as with clubs - 22,850: Eleni Andriola

Bulgaria: Paunovska is a similar type as the former World Champion Simona Peycheva, however she is not able to replace the best Bulgarian gymnast who is absent due to a drug ban; so that Bulgaria will hardly be able to climb to the 3rd place as at the Ech in 2002.
Elisabeth Paisieva is one of the world's best gymnasts. She is now 17 years old, however her execution lacks a little bit in perfection in the small details; 22,675; Paisieva with hoop: 21,800.
A very beautiful ball routine in black performed by Paisieva! 22,200. Nevertheless, the Bulgarian team will not get a medal at these Ech.

Laura Zacchilli (ITA)

Italy, a direct rival of German team, with two ladies of the RG scene: Laura Zachilli (23) and Susanna Marchesi (24) - they form a team that is 17 years older than both German Youngsters Lisa Ingildeeva and Eugenia Ramich. And Laura is Lisa's long-term rival with an age difference of almost 10 years - that is an argument in favour of RG... 19-year-old Julietta Chantaluppi can show one routine, if that was a good decision? 18,550 points count for the result - and the Italian experience is caught on the line by the German youngsters!