2010 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships (24/04/10 at 1pm)

Sam Oldham is Junior European All-around Champion with Max Whitlock in Silver!!

The Junior Individual All Around final was a competition for 3rd place. Max Whitlock and Sam Oldham had their own European Championship for Gold and Silver medals.

CONGRATULATIONS Sam and Max,
CONGRATULATIONS coaches - Scott Hann and Sergei Sizhanov,
CONGRATIULATIONS Clubs - Huntingdon and South Essex.

For Men’s Gymnastics in Great Britain the greatest day in a generation has arrived.

A big day for the British Team with Sam Oldham and Max Whitlock, the top two in qualifications, taking part in the Junior All-around Final, followed by the Senior Team in the Team Final.

For the results service click here

2 days ago the British Junior Men defended their European Team title. This morning Sam Oldham and Max Whitlock challenged for the Individual All Around Junior title. Later this afternoon the British Senior Men will compete to become European Champions. Qualifying in third place they are in a strong position to achieve a medal and make British Gymnastics history.

Strangely there is an expectation that Junior success takes many years to lead to Senior progress but Great Britain has shown parallel development across all age groups over the past 4 years defying all the rules. Good planning and co coordinated teamwork has resourced the immense gymnastic talents and coaching from within the clubs.

Sam Oldham is Junior European All-around Champion with Max Whitlock in Silver!!

Quotes

Sam Oldham, after being crowned Junior European Champion: “The pressure was on and I was just trying to go clean, I didn’t really focus on the scores.
On competing at the same time “It wasn’t any more pressure, I think it helped actually. Before I’d go I would hear them announce Max’s name and vice versa. He did a routine, I did a routine and we both did awesome.
His response to hearing that the BBC crew had tipped him to be ‘a star of the future’ Sam replied: “Hopefully that’ll happen! we’ll just take it step by step…1ST Team  and 1st and  2nd in All around is just an awesome achievment for GB.”

Max Whitlock, on his All Around silver medal: “I’m really happy, really pleased with the competition. Congratulations to Sam, a great performance from him.”
On comparing his Silver to the 1st Place team result earlier n the week: “Both of them were fantastic results. Really pleased with the team, really happy with it.”
On the crowd and his performance: All my family were here, everyone was here! We’ve got a lot of supporters here so it was really good. It was definitely the best I’ve ever done! Now I’ve got three finals to look forward to tomorrow.”

GB Junior Team Coach, Sergei Sizhanov on the success: “It’s the second time we’ve won and I am very happy. I am very proud of the gymnasts and coaches. The medal is not for one person but for the whole team of coaches and gymnast.
On comparing this success to the victory at the last European Championships in Lausanne: “I am twice as proud and twice as happy.”

Reports.

Round 1.

Sam Oldham, Floor, near perfect from 5.3 difficulty with 14.45 scored.

Max Whitlock, Pommels, 14.125, hit hard by the E jury, one obvious form break and maybe a little tight in swing but a hard standard has been set.

Sam 4th and Max 5th was expected as the Vaulters carry the advantage in the early rounds. Only at rounds 3 and 4 will the first indication of true ranking be affirmed.  Their virtual ranks are 1st and 2nd.

Round 2

Sam, Pommels, a perfectly formed routine with a bog swing (a little slow in the dismount), 13.5 With 4.7 difficulty they hit the dismount hard.

Max,. Rings, swing elements good with a solid Planche and nailed dismount, 13.725.

Jim Zona, France, High Bar, Stalder Rybalko, Tkachev straddled, double straight full (a positive bend in every kick through), 13.1.

In virtual scoring Sam and Max hold first and second (real time 3rd and 4th)

Round 3

Sam, Rings, two perfect crosses, a little swing with his forward giant but well controlled, 13.525.  Realtime 4th=

Max Vault, Yurchenko 1 1/2 twists, 15.275 taking him to the top of the scoreboard.

Round 4

Sam, Vault, Tsukahara double twist, 15.6.

Max, Parallel Bars, not really balanced between his undersomersault and back giant and took time to wrest control back into the performance, 13.8

GREAT BRITAIN NOW SITS 1ST AND 2ND, 3 POINTS CLEAR OF THE CHASING EUROPEAN HOPEFULS.

JUST OVER ONE TENTH SEPARATES THE BRITISH BOYS.

Round 5

Difficult enough to watch the top 2 gymnasts compete at the same time but much more difficult when they are both British.

Sam, Parallel Bars, 13.675

Max, High Bar. 13.35

Fabian Gonzales, Spain, High Bar, Kovacs full, Rybalko, double  double straight, 13.675.

Approaching the final round Sam Oldham was leading Max Whitlock by 5 tenths.  Third placed Pablo Braegger of Switzerland was over a mark adrift in 3rd.

Round 6

Fabian Gonzales,ESP, Floor, double double tucked, 2 1/2 twist to full twisting front, double twisting back, double twisting front, triple twist,

Pablo Braegger, SUI, Floor, 14.125, not a cow bell to be heard but the Swiss spectators let it be well known that their man was European Bronze Medalist.

SAM OLDHAM,  High Bar, set aside a slight bend of the legs in double double dismount and Sam gave a EUROPEAN CHAMPION performance on Bar.

MAX WHITLOCK  Floor, 2 1/2 twist punch front, double twisting front. 1 1/2 to full twist, triple dismount, EUROPEAN VICE CHAMPION.