2019 in review: September – December

Welcome to the third and final part of our year in review!

 

September

- At the Kazan World Cup, the Averina twins dominated the individual competition. The Bulgarian manages to prevent a complete Russian sweep.

- Turkey stars at the Artistic World Cup in Mersin.

- Former UEG Vice-President André Laurent (FRA) passes away.

- Hungarians David Vecsernyes and Noemi Makra deliver gold medal performances for host nation at Szombathely World Cup.

- Italian festa as Alexandra Agiurgiuculese and Milena Baldassarri claim first Rhythmic World Cup victories.

- The UEG’s Technical Committee for Gymnastics for All developed a new concept … the Education Long Weekend! It debuted in Oslo (NOR) with around 40 participants from 10 countries.

- UEG founding member and Honorary Vice-President Bruno Grandi passes away.

- At the World Championships in Baku, Dina Averina wins her third consecutive all-around title, winning also the gold with the team, ball, clubs and ribbon. Teammate Ekaterina Selezneva wins the gold with hoop.

- Olympic tickets were distributed in Baku. The following groups qualified: Russia, Italy, Bulgaria, Japan, Belarus, Israel, China and Azerbaijan. Individual places were awarded to Russia (2x), Israel (2x), Bulgaria (2x), Ukraine (2x), Italy (2x), USA (2x), Japan, Belarus (2x) and Azerbaijan.

- Lynn Genhart (SUI) retires from artistic gymnastics.

- UEG President Farid Gayibov joins the Italian Federation for an audience with Pope Francis.

- The UEG’s Aerobics Technical Committee organised a symposium in the Italian city of Cagliari. 20 countries were represented.

 

October

- Olympic Champion Margarita Mamun (RUS) gives birth to baby boy Lev.

- The Russian men win the World title for the first time in history! It’s also the first European victory since Belarus won in 2001. Nikita Nagornyy (RUS) claimed his first World all-around title while history was written for Turkey with the World title on rings for Ibrahim Colak and Ireland with the bronze on pommel horse for Rhys McClenaghan. Belgium’s Nina Derwael retains her World title on bars, preventing Simone Biles from sweeping the titles.

- Following the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart we know which teams earned the right to participate at next year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo (JPN). For the men, Ukraine, Great Britain, Switzerland, USA, Chinese Taipei, Korea, Brazil, Spain and Germany join Russia, China and Japan who qualified already last year. In the women’s competition we’ll see the teams of USA, China, Russia, France, Canada, Netherlands, Great Britain, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Japan and Spain. Also, individually several gymnasts earned their spot via their all-around ranking and the apparatus finals. Find the full list on the 2020 Olympic Games event calendar page on the FIG website.

- On the morning of the World all-around final, Nestor Abad’s wife gives birth to their second child.

- Turkey’s Tutya Yilmaz retires from artistic gymnastics.

- Russian queen of the bars Svetlana Khorkina gives birth to her second child.

- The European Age Group Competitions in Acrobatic Gymnastics attract a good crowd in Holon (ISR). The Israeli delegation wins 4 out of the 5 available 11 – 16 age group titles: men’s group Gidron Odem, Or Abraham, Or Strohmayer & Maor Nekave, mixed pair Amy Lev Refaeli & Yonatan Fridman, women’s pair Shira Magen & Shelly Eghert and women’s group Harel Tennbaum, Hen Vinner & Maya Kremer. Russia, Portugal and Great Britain win the other titles.

November

- With a record participation of 18 countries in the senior competition and 12 nations returning home with at least one medal, the Acro Europeans in Holon (ISR) were a huge success. The Israeli Gymnastics Federation and the Local Organising Committee raised the level of this event. Four units managed to claim the ‘triple crown’, all three European titles available in their category. First, two Israeli junior units achieved this feat: women’s pair Almog Green and Maayan Zunenshine and women’s group Meshi Hurvitz, Nikol Aleinik and Inbal Zeitounei! After the last senior finals, two more units joined them: Belgium’s Talia De Troyer, Britt Vanderdonckt and Charlotte Van Royen, double European Games Champions, and Russian mixed pair Viktoria Aksenova and Kirill Startsev who stepped into the footsteps of their predecessors and compatriots Marina Chernova and Georgiy Pataraya, winners of the triple crown both in 2015 and in 2017.

- Tzlil Hurvitz (ISR) and Teodor Velikov (BUL) win the SmartScoring Shooting Star Award.

- Dmitri Vasilenko, Olympic Champion in 1996 with the Russian men’s team, dies after a long battle with ALS.

- Eleftherios Petrounias and Vasiliki Millousi (GRE) welcome their first child, a daughter called Sofia.

- Munich (GER) is confirmed as host city of the 2022 European Championships, a joint event featuring gymnastics, athletics, rowing, triathlon, golf and cycling.

- The General Assembly of the UEG approves the name change to European Gymnastics. This will come into effect on 1 April 2020.

- Three former UEG authorities were honoured for their dedicated service at the Congress: Malin Eggertz Forsmark (SWE) as Honorary Vice-President and Galina Kovalchuk (UKR) and Jacky Wischnia (ISR) as Honorary Members.

- European victories at the Trampoline and Tumbling World Championships in Tokyo (JPN) for Russians Aleksandr Lisitsyn and Viktoria Danilenko (tumbling), Mikhail Zalomin (DMT), Sweden’sLina Sjoeberg (DMT), the British teams in tumbling, the Russian men in Double Mini-Trampoline with the ultimate crown going to Russia as they clinch victory in the overall team final.

- Olympic tickets were won in Tokyo in individual trampoline. Six countries secured a spot in the women’s competition: Japan, Canada, China, France, Great Britain and Russia. For the men, 5 countries qualified: China, Belarus, Russia, Japan and France.

 

December

- Elisabeth Kunz (SUI), Women’s Technical Committee President between 1982 and 1989 and Honorary Member of the UEG, passes away.

- Rhys McClenaghan (IRL) is voted RTE Young Sportsman of the Year for the second consecutive year.

- Ukraine’s former rhythmic star Viktoria Mazur gives birth to a son, Aleksandr.

- Former Aerobics World Champion Lubov Gazov (AUT) gets married in Hawai where she now lives and works.

- Finland’s Jouki Tikkanen ends her competitive rhythmic career. She’ll continue in the sport as a coach and a performance artist.