Highlights of #Antalya2023

Antalya’s Sports Hall welcomed a total of 321 gymnasts -178 men and 143 women- from 39 countries in a thrilling battle for the reign over Europe. Just two months after the devastating earthquakes that hit the host nation Türkiye and neighbouring Syria, the focus on sports aimed to inspire through unity, positivity and excellence.

Here are our 15 highlights … in no particular order!

The new Queen of Europe

Ever since her senior debut, Jessica Gadirova impressed the gymnastics community, earning her merits at all levels: a full set of medals at her first Europeans, Olympic team medallist, World Champion on floor, etc. In Antalya, she led her British teammates to their first ever team victory! Individually, the superstar became only the second British female to win the all-around crown, after Ellie Downie in 2017, and the first female to win three consecutive European titles on floor. Easy to forget that Jess is still only 18 years old!

The national hero

With all eyes on the Turkish men’s team, Adem Asil lived up to his reputation as a hard-working and mentally strong gymnast. The 24-year-old led his adopted country to team silver before nailing the perfect competition in the all-around where, upgrading from bronze won last year in Munich, he clinched Türkiye’s first ever all-around title! To round off a fabulous week, Asil finished these Europeans as the most decorated male gymnast, after adding the title on rings, the apparatus where’s the reigning World Champion.

Twin power

The big theme of the women’s competition … twins! Both Jessica Gadirova and Sanne Wevers are part of an acclaimed duo. In Antalya though, only Alice and Asia D’Amato had their twin by their side. Together they earned silver for Italy in the team competition. For 2022 European all-around Champion Asia, Antalya marked her return to international competition after the knee injury sustained in Munich’s vault final. What better way to overcome this than by winning silver … on vault! For Alice, it meant her own spot on the all-around podium, clinching the bronze, and her first individual European title for an exquisite bars routine.

Mighty Kovacs

Forever a fan favourite, Zsofia Kovacs delivered an exceptional fight in the all-around final, pushing Jessica Gadirova till the very end. Just 0,133 separated them. Kovacs clinching the Vice-European all-around title for the second time in her career. Her bronze on beam means Kovacs truly is an accomplished all-arounder, with her previous European medals (titles!) earned on vault and bars.

Beaming Sanne

In her first international competition since the Tokyo Olympics, Sanne Wevers showed why she’s the Queen on the Beam. The 2016 Olympic Champion pirouetted her way to gold, showcasing nerves of steel on her signature event. It’s the second European title for the Dutch star on beam while she helped her team to bronze, a story similar to Glasgow 2018! Turning 32 in September, Wevers shows that age is definitely not a limitation.

Welcome back Becky

Having encountered a series of setbacks in the past years, 2014 and 2016 European bars Champion Becky Downie made her comeback in Antalya. As determined and focused as ever, Downie swung her way into the bars final in a qualification round that saw the British women crowned European team Champions, for the first time ever! Individually, Downie earned her merits yet again on bars, returning home with the silver medal.

Belgium at its best

What a week it was for Team BelGym! With the World Championships coming up in Antwerp in autumn, Belgium got a taste of what’s possible with determination, focus and team spirit. Loudly supported by his teammates, Maxime Gentges wrote history by becoming the first male Belgian to win a medal, silver on pommel horse! Lisa Vaelen and Maellyse Brassart impressed in the all-around final to finish 4^th and 5^th respectively. On vault, Vaelen followed into the footsteps of Aagje Vanwalleghem by winning the bronze medal.

History for Italy

The Italian men’s team featuring Yumin Abbadini, Lorenzo Minh Casali, Matteo Levantesi, Marco Lodadio and Mario Macchiati combined efforts to produce a shock win. Just last year, the team made its first ever appearance on the European podium, claiming the silver medal. Talk about rapid progress!

Changing of the guard

Exactly 10 years after the legendary Max Whitlock became Great Britain’s first European Champion on floor, the torch has been skillfully passed on into the young but capable hands of Luke Whitehouse. Impressing the audience with a high triple back, Whitehouse nailed his senior European debut. On his way to becoming the 4^th British European Champion on floor, the 20-year-old even defeated reigning Olympic and defending European Champion Artem Dolgopyat.

King of the Vault

Having won his first European medal a whopping 10 years ago and collecting silver in 2016 and 2022, reigning World Champion Artur Davtyan showed his trademark excellent execution on both his difficult vaults, earning the top spot for the first time at a continental Championships.

Staying in the siblings theme … brother Vahagn won silver on rings!

A family tradition

Making her mark in the junior ranks, Sabrina Maneca-Voinea stepped up her game this year as she entered the senior competition. Winning two gold medals at the Doha World Cup set the Romanian teenager up for these Europeans where she delivered on floor to return home with the bronze medal. Much to the delight of mum and coach Camelia Voinea, herself the silver medallist at the 1987 Europeans on this apparatus!

Golden Tin

High bar specialist Tin Srbic has been making it onto the podium for several years. It’s hard to imagine that he never won the European title. That is … until Antalya! The Croatian superstar, boasting the 2027 World title and Olympic silver, excelled in the very last apparatus final to clinch that elusive gold!

Above and beyond

Rhys McClenaghan continues to raise the bar for Ireland. At still only 23 years old, the Irishman won his second European title on pommel horse, 5 years after Ireland’s historic success. The reigning World Champion now holds the European title too! There’s no stopping him.

Calm and steady wins the race

Known for his calm appearance, Ukraine’s Illia Kovtun acted the part throughout the competition. Qualifying in first place to the all-around final, the 2020 junior European Champion settled for bronze, a repeat of his 2021 performance.  He did however claim his first senior European title on parallel bars, where his technique is unrivalled. Half an hour later he added the bronze on high bar to his steadily growing collection.

Come on Coco!

6 months after her bronze on vault at the World Championships, Coline Devillard outperformed her competitors for continental glory. A fantastic return to the top spot for the French star, a ranking she first gained in 2017. Well done, Coco!

Our heartfelt gratitude goes out to the Turkish Gymnastics Federation, led by its President Suat Celen, for organising a fabulous event in troubled times.

Thank you Antalya, thank you Türkiye!