End of the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Sofia/BUL

Two weeks ago began the 30th European Women’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships followed by the 31st European Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. 

After Birmingham/GBR in 2010 the Bulgarian capital welcomed these competitions presenting the juniors (team competitions, all-around competition and apparatus finals) and the seniors (team title, apparatus finals); the women came first, followed by the men’s championships. 

This situation, having one organiser for two championships with this competition format, will be repeated in 2016 in Berne, Switzerland. 

The UEG flag, returned by the President of the Bulgarian Federation and of the Organising Committee – Krasimir Dunev – to the member of the Executive Committee of the European Union of gymnastics (UEG), Erik Juhl Mogensen during the closing ceremony was officially handed over on last Sunday evening to Felix Stingelin, Head of elite sport of the Swiss Gymnastics Federation.

These European Championships aroused of course the interest of the media, represented with some 80 journalists and photographers. Two years after London and two years before the Rio Olympic Games, this was the occasion to gauge the European gymnasts before the World Championships to be held in Nanning/CHN, first step towards the team qualification for the Rio Olympics. 

TV broadcast was carried out by the Bulgarian TV – BNT – with a live national programme for the juniors and an international telecast for the senior finals; 12 other countries transmitted live or recorded, as News or Highlights. To underline that the senior finals were also available via live streaming on Internet and accessible anywhere in the world.

A high-quality event and this on all levels: important sports result were at stake and the high level of the gymnasts made these competitions very interesting; the overall organisation was impeccable! 

We would like to express our gratitude to the UEG Technical Committees chaired by Yvette Brasier for the women and by Jacky Wischnia for the men, for having managed and supervised these championships.

A big thank you is addressed to the members of the Organising Committee for their professionalism, attention, reactivity, good mood and of course to the volunteers who helped them to accomplish this difficult task. 

 

Rendezvous therefore in 2016 in Switzerland and we will meet again for the next European event – the 30th European Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships to be held in Baku/AZE from June 13 to 15. 

O. Do Rosario/UEG