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| Filippo Tomasi photo |
People who said this year's Euros would be boring: you were wrong.
People who said that always the same nations win: you were wrong.
People who said hard work doesn't pay off: you were wrong.
The 2015 European Championships all around final was extremely exciting: gymnasts fought until the last hundredth of the last apparatus. The field was a mix of veterans and youngsters with different styles and peculiarities.
The podium was conquered fiercely by Giulia Steingruber, who had a beautiful competition and wrote history for her country! Her smile on the podium really melt my heart. Who would have thought it...
Maria Kharenkova got the silver medal due to some imprecisions. The little Russian is making her name as an all arounder and conducted a good competition, but there is still room for improvement, especially for her mental endurance in competition.
Britain's new senior Ellie Downie also made history for her nation and conquered the bronze medal with a solid competition.
Such a pity for Erika Fasana, who didn't make it to the podium for only 0.15 points. My heart literaly got broken when the last score came out...
At the end of the competition my feelings were divided: on one hand I was extremely excited for Giulia's win, on the other hand I was almost in tears for Erika...
Romania didn't shine, mostly due to the absence of Larisa Iordache. Diana Bulimar is still on her way to come back to her previous form after an injury, and even though she didn't make any major mistakes, her execution was not precise as it used to and she placed 10th. She was sad, but we're still at the beginning of the season. It's crucial for Romania to have her in full shape for World Championships in October. New senior Laura Jurca is in the top eight with a good 7th place. Her double twisting yurchenko stood out and got her 14.766.
Disappointment for Britain's Claudia Fragapane who placed 6th due to a fall and many form breaks on beam and imprecisions on bars. Her floor routine is constantly getting better, though.
Russia's Daria Spiridonova is definitely not an all arounder: she placed 13th with a fall on both beam and floor, but she enchanted averyone with her beautiful bars (15.350 - D 6.7).
The elegant Netherland's new senior Eythora Thorsdottir's performance was affected by her inexperience: she placed 12th due to mistakes on beam and floor. Nice bars though. I'm sure these Europeans final has given her some of the experience she needs to lead Netherlands to improvement.
I'm so sorry fot Sweden's Jonna Adlerteg who got injured on floor and broke her ACL. Unfortunately, this is a pretty serious injury. I wish her a speed recovery, come on Jonna!
The gymnasts who amazed me most:
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| Filippo Tomasi photo |
Erika Fasana, Italy's pride.
She fought with bravery, focus and determination from the first to the last apparatus. It was such a pity for those 0.150 points: if someone deserved the podium, that one was definitely Erika. This fourth place was a disappointment for her, but her performance was excellent. She started on vault where she got a good 14.533 with a DTY, then 13.5 for bars, nice execution on beam with a 13.941. There was only one routine left, on her favourite apparatus: floor exercise. The battle was open with Ellie Downie, only 0.160 points separated them. Erika fought like a warrior and risked everything: she added the difficult Chusovitina salto in her routine: the result was a beautiful performance valued 14.5 (D 6.2) but it was not enough for the podium.
But it'okay. Erika proved one more time that she is the best Italian gymnast right now. She has got pretty good difficulty, determination and focus throughout all the competition, constantly improving execution, a more precise and competitive floor routine time after time.
We know how much you wanted to be on that podium, but come on Erika: the best is yet to come!
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| Filippo Tomasi photo |
Giulia Steingruber, hard work pays off gold
I've always loved Giulia, her sweet smile and the enthusiasm that says she loves what she does. We've been looking at her athletical growth throughout the years: she started her senior career silently, representing a little nation not so known in the sport; she slowly made her name as a vaulter but she wanted more. She has been working very hard on her weaknesses. And at the end, all the hard work has paid off.
At this final she started on beam, tough apparatus to start on, and finished on bars, her worst event. In the middle of the competition, the beloved vault and a great floor routine, powerful yet elegant.
The jury has spoken: she is the European Champion. Congratulations Giulia, your smile on the podium really made my heart melt!
At this final she started on beam, tough apparatus to start on, and finished on bars, her worst event. In the middle of the competition, the beloved vault and a great floor routine, powerful yet elegant.
The jury has spoken: she is the European Champion. Congratulations Giulia, your smile on the podium really made my heart melt!
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| Filippo Tomasi photo |
Martina Rizzelli, solid and focused on her first experience
Martina had to replace Vanessa Ferrari in this final, but the high level of the competition didn't scare her. It was her first experience as an all arounder, and despite not being the greatest all arounder, she really had a great competition. She placed 9th and didn't make any falls or major mistakes. Her floor routine was good but a little imprecise and was valued 13.333, then she got 13.100 on beam, her worst apparatus. She stood out with 14.333 on vault with a discrete double twisting yurchenko and improved her bars qualification score, conquering a good 13.9 (D 60.).
I hope this nineth place will give her more confidence. She actually has a raw talent and I'im sure Martina will surprise us again in the future!
I hope this nineth place will give her more confidence. She actually has a raw talent and I'im sure Martina will surprise us again in the future!
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| Sports2Visuals photo |
Ellie Downie, a great international debut
Britain's new senior Ellie Downie really surprised me. I had noticed her at last year's Youth Olympic Games but I would never imagine such maturity in her first important competition as a senior. She conquered a well-deserved silver medal with a solid competition. She showed an innate talent on bars where she got 14.233 (D 5.9) and huge power on vault with a beautiful double twisting yurchenko (14.833).
Fun Facts
- Giulia Steingruber made history for her nation: no Swiss gymnasts had won a gold medal at Euros before.
- Also Marta Pihan-Kulesza wrote her nation's history: her 5th place is the best placement ever by a Polish gymnast.
- Ana Filipa Martins is also a national pioneer: the beautiful Portuguese gymnast really surprised me, placing in the top eight with a solid and mistakes-free competition. She's someone to keep an eye on for the future.
All the results:
VT
|
UB
|
BB
|
FX
|
TOT
| |||
1
|
Steingruber Giulia
|
SUI
|
15.266
(6.2)
|
13.666
(5.7)
|
14.375
(5.9)
|
14.566
(6.0)
|
57.873
|
2
|
Kharenkova Maria
|
RUS
|
13.933
(5.0)
|
14.066
(6.0)
|
15.0
(6.4)
|
14.133
(5.8)
|
57.132
|
3
|
Downie Elissa
|
GBR
|
14.833
(5.8)
|
14.233
(5.9)
|
13.891 (5.5)
|
13.666
(5.6) (-0.1)
|
56.623
|
4
|
Fasana Erika
|
ITA
|
14.533
(5.8)
|
13.500
(5.6)
|
13.941
(5.5)
|
14.500
(6.2)
|
56.474
|
5
|
Pihan – Kuleza Marta
|
POL
|
13.733
(5.0)
|
13.966
(5.6)
|
13.333 (5.6)
|
14.166
(5.8)
|
55.198
|
6
|
Fragapane Claudia
|
GBR
|
14.533
(5.8)
|
13.4
(5.2)
|
12.433 (5.6)
|
14.533
(6.2)
|
54.899
|
7
|
Jurca Laura
|
ROU
|
14.766
(5.8)
|
12.866
(5.5)
|
13.5
(5.5)
|
13.733
(5.5)
|
54.865
|
8
|
Martins Ana Filipa
|
POR
|
13.833
(5.0)
|
13.733
(5.4)
|
13.300 (5.3)
|
13.833
(5.6)
|
54.699
|
9
|
Rizzelli Martina
|
ITA
|
14.333
(5.8)
|
13.9
(6.0)
|
13.100 (5.2)
|
13.333
(5.6)
|
54.666
|
10
|
Bulimar Diana Laura
|
ROU
|
13.766
(5.0)
|
13.533
(5.3)
|
13.666 (5.7)
|
13.666
(5.6) (-0.1)
|
54.631
|
11
|
His Loan
|
FRA
|
13.958
(5.0)
|
13.966 (5.9)
|
12.666
(4.5)
|
13.533
(5.2)
|
54.123
|
12
|
Thorsdottir Eythora
|
NED
|
13.700
(5.0)
|
13.966
(5.6)
|
13.466 (5.5)
|
12.666
(4.5)
|
53.798
|
13
|
Spiridonova Daria
|
RUS
|
13.700
(5.0)
|
15.350
(6.7)
|
12.166 (5.0)
|
12.300
(5.2) (-0.1)
|
53.516
|
14
|
Perez Campos Ana
|
ESP
|
13.766
(5.0)
|
12.966
(5.7)
|
13.466
(5.3)
|
12.466
(5.5)
|
52.664
|
15
|
Carbona Urbano Ainhoa
|
ESP
|
13.600
(5.0)
|
12.700
(4.7)
|
13.266
(5.1)
|
12.500
(4.5)
|
52.066
|
16
|
Martin Claire
|
FRA
|
12.700
(4.0)
|
11.666
(4.1)
|
13.766
(5.6)
|
13.833
(5.3)
|
51.965
|
17
|
Mokosova Barbora
|
SVK
|
13.700
(5.0)
|
12.900
(5.1)
|
12.700
(5.0)
|
12.566
(4.6)
|
51.866
|
18
|
Tratz Pauline
|
GER
|
13.900
(5.0)
|
11.800
(4.9)
|
12.500
(4.4)
|
13.266
(5.1)
|
51.466
|
19
|
Gebeshian Houry
|
ARM
|
13.633
(5.0) (-0.1)
|
412.666
(4.8)
|
12.266
(4.6)
|
12.633
(4.7)
|
51.198
|
20
|
Supriana Dyonnailys
|
NED
|
13.500
(5.0)
|
12.766
(5.0)
|
11.7
(5.8) (-0.1)
|
13.100
(5.0)
|
51.066
|
21
|
Diacci Jessica
|
SUI
|
12.600
(4.4)
|
12.066
(5.3) |
13.300
(5.5) (-0.1) |
12.933
(5.1) |
50.899
|
22
|
Honti Kitti
|
HUN
|
13.266
(4.6)
|
12.733
(5.3) |
11.566
(4.3) |
12.600
(4.9) |
50.165
|
23
|
Sankova Krystyna
|
UKR
|
13.800
(5.0)
|
11.300
(4.7)
|
10.833
(5.3) (-0.1)
|
13.433
(5.5)
|
49.366
|
24
|
Adleterg Jonna
|
SWE
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
11.166 (4.0)
|
11.166
|
- Disclaimer: I do not own any of the photos. All the photos belong to Filippo Tomasi and Sports2Visuals.
- Costanza Spagnolo -