2nd day WAG Qualifications – World Championships London2009
LONDON (GBR) October 14, 2009: An enthusiastic crowd witnessed a total of 148 gymnasts from 54 different countries divided into five subdivisions perform at today’s qualifying round for women in London’s O2 Arena.
With a total of 55.950 points, 17-year-old Ekaterina Kurbatova from Russia initially took the lead in the overall ranking but was pushed back to rank six by the end of the day. Ahead of the game after subdivision 2, Romania’s newcomer Ana Porgras (57.300) secured a very solid second place through to the end, while Rebecca Bross (USA) gained the lead (57.400) with subdivision 5 and Australian Lauren Mitchell (56.675) took third. Chinese Deng Linlin (56.350) settled into fourth place, followed by Bridget Sloan (56.075) from the US.
Subdivision 1
The first group started the morning off with several falls and slips at every apparatus. Olympic All-around Bronze medallist Yang Yilin (CHN) set the bar in this subdivision, scoring an overall 55.500 and placing second.
After Afanasyeva’s withdrawal, 17-year-old Ekaterina Kurbatova gave it a go in the All-around representing Russia alongside her team-mate Semenova, who placed 4th in Beijing and won the European All-around title earlier this year. Kurbatova met high expectations; she led the rankings after subdivision 1 with a total of 55.950 and placed first at every apparatus but Beam.
German first year senior Elisabeth Seitz (52.225) ranked third in the All-around followed by Canadian Charlotte Mackie (51.975) and Dutch newcomer Joy Rianne Goedkoop (51.625). Also looking good were Anna Serra of Spain, Beijing All-around finalist Georgia Bonora from Australia and Italy’s Emily Armi.
On the individual apparatus Yang led on Beam, with Beijing finalist Gabriela Dragoi from Romania in second place and Kurbatova in third. 16-year-old Diana Maria Chelaru (ROU) ranked second on Vault just ahead of Goedkoop. Dragoi came in second on Bars as well, with Yang in third. On Floor, Chelaru staked out second followed by Seitz.
Subdivision 2
With the second subdivision another Chinese gymnast made her debut in the All-around, Deng Linlin. The 17-year-old gave a strong performance on all apparatus and gained the upper hand in the overall ranking after this subdivision (56.350), relegating Russia’s Kurbatova to second; and she topped on Beam and Floor to boot!
US American first year senior Ivana Hong, coached by Valeri Liukin, made a good impression tonight, especially on Beam where a 14.400 placed her in a provisional second place. Team-mate Kayla Williams wowed the public on Vault in the lead. A flawless Floor routine slid her into second behind Deng and ahead of Kurbatova.
Germany’s Kim Bui made it through the qualifying round pretty well today and was rewarded with an overall 54.175 and rank four after subdivision 2, just behind Yang in the All-around.
Local fans cheered for Rebecca Wing (GBR), who worked every apparatus for fifth place (53.875). Also placing among the top ten were Brazilian newcomer Bruna Kuroiwa Yamamo Leal and Mayra Kroonen from the Netherlands.
22-year-old Israeli Valeriia Maksiuta dazzled spectators on Vault where she ranked third, and Australian Larrissa Miller took over the lead on Uneven Bars with 14.650.
Subdivision 3
This afternoon, All-around contenders Ksenia Semenova (RUS), reigning European Champion, and 2009 US American Champion Bridget Sloan stepped up to the plate. Semenova ranked 6th after this subdivision while Sloan managed an overall 3rd.
Romania’s new national Champion, 16-year-old Ana Porgras, had a fantastic debut to the international stage today. She dominated with steady routines on every apparatus and took the leading position in the All-Around with 57.300 points. Porgras also topped the Beam ranking and placed second on Floor.
Also placing among the provisional top ten All-arounders were France’s Pauline Morel (7th) and Japan’s Miki Uemura (10th).
Yet another Chinese gymnast bedazzled the crowds today: Sui Lu on Floor (1st place) and Beam (5th). She outscored local star Beth Tweddle, who stumbled at the beginning of her Floor routine. Her high difficulty score saved her and she took third ahead of Deng.
All eyes were on the Uneven Bars when Tweddle and Sloan, both candidates for the Apparatus Final, faced 2008 Olympic Champion He Kexin (CHN) in the last rotation of this subdivision. Tweddle made a major mistake and fell off the apparatus; 13.850 points for her routine was not enough to qualify her for the Final. Sloan was next with a strong performance; 14.600 points and rank two on the apparatus. Finally, He flawlessly delivered an extremely difficult routine (15.975), which gave her the edge on both Miller and Sloan.
An animated crowd saw Great Britain’s Marissa King on Vault slip into third place with an average of 13.850.
On Beam, North Korean Kim Un Hyang’s 14.775 placed her at the top, but in the wake of Porgras.
Subdivision 4
This group featured strong entries from North Korea, notably 19-year-old Yong Hwa Cha, who gave an impressive debut, and 2008 Olympic Champion on Vault Un Jong Hong. Cha’s 15.025 placed her second on Uneven Bars and Hong vaulted to the same rank, pushing Kurbatova into third. She scored an average of 14.787.
17-year-old Japanese Koko Tsurumi gave an impressive performance in the All-around, sliding into 5th place and ranking third on Uneven Bars (14.775). The only other new entry among the top ten All-arounders was France’s Youna Dufournet (54.375) in eighth.
Gymnasts of this subdivision failed to reach the top of the Beam and Floor rankings.
Subdivision 5
Subdivision 5 featured All-arounders from the USA, with Rebecca Bross, and the host country, with Rebecca Downie. The atmosphere in the arena peaked when both Rebeccas performed at the same time; Bross on Uneven Bars and Downie on Floor. While the British gymnast ranked 20th, Bross fared much better with a 15.050 score, positioning herself in second place. After wrapping up her last routine on Floor, Bross took the overall lead (57.400).
18-year-old Lauren Mitchell from Australia outclassed her contenders in the All-around, taking up third position (56.675).
5th in Beijing and reigning European Champion on Vault, Swiss gymnast Ariella Kaeslin performed on all apparatus. She qualified for the All-around in 9th and managed 4th place on Vault (14.325).
Russian newcomer Anna Myzdrikova gave a fantastic routine on Floor that boosted her into first (14.500).
The prestigious All-around Final will feature the following 24 female gymnasts this year:
All-around Finalists
1 BROSS Rebecca USA 57.400
2 PORGRAS Ana ROU 57.300
3 MITCHELL Lauren AUS 56.675
4 DENG Linlin CHN 56.350
5 SLOAN Bridget USA 56.075
6 KURBATOVA Ekaterina RUS 55.950
7 TSURUMI Koko JPN 55.925
8 YANG Yilin CHN 55.500
9 KAESLIN Ariella SUI 55.450
10 SEMENOVA Ksenia RUS 54.900
11 IZURIETA Ana Maria ESP 54.750
12 DUFOURNET Youna FRA 54.375
13 TAMIRJAN Anamaria ROU 54.250
14 GARCIA RODRIGUEZ BLANCAS Elsa MEX 54.225
15 MOREL Pauline FRA 54.200
16 BUI Kim GER 54.175
17 GALANTE Paola ITA 54.150
18 ROGERS Brittany CAN 54.050
19 WING Rebecca GBR 53.875
20 DOWNIE Rebecca GBR 53.775
21 UEMURA Miki JPN 53.325
22 KIM Un Hyang PRK 53.125
23 KUROIWA YAMAMOTO LEAL Bruna BRA 52.850
24 WAGNER Veronica SWE 52.750
The following gymnasts qualified for the Apparatus Finals in today’s Qualification:
Apparatus Finalists
Vault
1 WILLIAMS Kayla USA 14.812
2 HONG Un Jong PRK 14.787
3 MYZDRIKOVA Anna RUS 14.450
4 KAESLIN Ariella SUI 14.325
5 KURBATOVA Ekaterina RUS 14.225
6 DUFOURNET Youna FRA 14.212
7 ROGERS Brittany CAN 13.975
8 GARCIA RODRIGUEZ BLANCAS Elsa MEX 13.862
Uneven Bars
1 HE Kexin CHN 15.975
2 BROSS Rebecca USA 15.050
3 CHA Yong Hwa PRK 15.025
4 TSURUMI Koko JPN 14.775
5 MILLER Larrissa AUS 14.650
6 SLOAN Bridget USA 14.600
7 PORGRAS Ana ROU 14.575
8 LICCHETTA Serena ITA 14.200
Beam
1 PORGRAS Ana ROU 14.850
2 KIM Un Hyang PRK 14.775
3 DENG Linlin CHN 14.450
4 HONG Ivana USA 14.400
5 MITCHELL Lauren AUS 14.400
6 TSURUMI Koko JPN 14.375
7 YANG Yilin CHN 14.375
8 PREZIOSA Elisabetta ITA 14.275
Floor
1 MYZDRIKOVA Anna RUS 14.500
2 SUI Lu CHN 14.275
3 PORGRAS Ana ROU 14.175
4 TWEDDLE Elizabeth GBR 14.075
5 MITCHELL Lauren AUS 14.050
6 GIL ORTIZ Jessica COL 14.050
7 DENG Linlin CHN 14.000
8 BROSS Rebecca USA 13.950
You can find Attachment All the results of the WAG Qualifications
