Russia and Belarus clinch first Trampoline European titles

Competition report of the first day at the Trampoline Europeans in Baku (AZE)

With the excitement building over the past week, the 26^th European Championships in Trampoline, Double Mini-Trampoline and Tumbling kicked off well and truly today in Baku’s National Gymnastics Arena. On the roster on this first day of competition were the qualifications for seniors in tumbling and double mini-trampoline and for the juniors in trampoline. And in the evening the first finals were already scheduled.

Two team finals to be exact: the junior team final in trampoline! Five countries qualified to each final and each country could let 4 gymnasts compete one routine. The best three scores were added to determine the team total.

Belarus counted on 2016 junior synchro champion Mikita Fomchanka, Sebastsyan Stankevich, Daniil Valyntsau and rising star Ivan Litvinovich who scored an impressive 58.780, the top score of the team. Their total of 170.400 easily held off the British lads who seemed thrilled with the silver. Russia secured the bronze in a close battle with Spain. The Russian girls were in a league of their own tonight. Iana Lebedeva’s mark was the best, a 54.145. Joined by the 50+ scores of Anzhela Bladtceva and Aleksandra Bonartseva, these ladies scored 160.370, close to 5 points more than team Belarus. Greece showed consistency to upset trampoline stronghold Great Britain. 

 

 

In qualifications several familiar faces took the lead! European, World and World Games Champion Mikhail Zalomin (RUS) twisted to the top score on DMT, a 75.900. He held off Spanish daredevil Daniel Perez while Russia’s Vasiliy Makarskiy outscored his compatriot Aleksandr Odintsov for a place in the individual final which will be held on Sunday. In the women’s competition Great Britain’s Kirsty Way jumped into first place, 6 tenths ahead of her teammate Ruth Shevelan. Russians Dana Sadkova and Polina Troianova both scored 66.700, together with British gymnasts Caitlin O’Brien who will miss out on the final due to the two-per-country rule. Defending European Champion Lina Sjoeberg (SWE) trailed the trio by just a tenth and will be looking to increase her score in Sunday’s final.

In Tumbling Russia lead the way, with the legend and defending European Champion Anna Korobeynikova and the Vice-European junior Champion Vadim Afanasyev. Korobeynikova scored 69.000, 6 tenths more than Great Britain’s Megan Kealy and teammate Viktoria Danilenko. Afanasyev dominated the men’s competition, taking a 2 point (!) lead over his nearest rival Maksim Shlyakin. 2016 European junior Champion Rasmus Steffensen qualified in third place just ahead of crowd favourite and Baku boy Mikhail Malkin.

Belarus ruled the trampoline competition today in qualifications, claiming the top spot in the boys and in the girls competition, for Ivan Litvinovich and Katsiaryna Yarshova respectively.

Find the full results on our website http://www.ueg.org/en/event/results.html?id=180