Preview
This competition is of great importance for the countries that
will be presented on the Olimpic Games : Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Bulgaria,
Greece, Spain, Azerbaijan, Italy, Germany, Czech Republic, Israel and Great
Britain. They are the main favourites for the competition and these countries
will be the ones to occupy the top places. Here is more about these teams
Introducing group A - the teams from Ukraine, Russian
federation, Belarus, Bulgaria, Spain, France, Israel, Great Britain, Greece and
Italy.
 The hosting country of the
Championships - Ukraine |
Ukrainian Gymnastics Federation belongs to one of the world's most succesful
Federation in Rhythmic Gymnastics.. The grace and beauty of
Ukrainian gymnasts is well known around the world. Their performances are
renowned for a magnificent charm, purity or moves and unforgettible expression.
The main competitors for this team are Anna Bessonova, Natalia Godunko and
Tamara Yerofeeva. e
| Anna Bessonova is definitely one of the brightest stars of
Rhythmic Gymnastics nowadays. The daughter of the famous
Ukaininan football player Vladimir Bessonov and World group Champion in
rhythmic gymnastics has always wanted to become as famous as her parents.
And she genuinely managed to do this as at present Anya or Bess, how her
fans like to name her, is one of the world leaders, triple World and
European Champion. It isn't surprising that Anna hardly having appeared at
the floor has charmed the experts and spectators by a rare combination of
plastic expressiveness and technical skill. Anna can execute the most
difficult composition with magic easiness, "submit" the most intricate lace
of movements at the dashing speed, demonstrating the irreproachable holding
of the apparatus. We know Anna's strong character, her family sports
endurance and we all hope that it will help her to reach her sports aim |
Anna Bessonova
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Tamara Yerofeeva
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Tamara Yerofeeva is one of the most expressive gymnasts in
the world, all her performances can't be forgotten, they stay in the hearts
of her fans for a long time.Having just appeared on the carpet, Yerofeeva
charms the audience by her appeareance : such beautiful long-legged gymnasts
is a rare thing to happen now. She is beloved by people from all over the
world, who send her letters of support. Toma has undergone a serious
physchological and emotional strain, having become 14th at the latest World
Championships. However, she managed to overcome all the difficulties and
returned to this sport to show the whole world that her eyes have not yet
passed and she is still capable to be in top shape and to win medals at
competitions. We sincerely hope that her stubborn but forceful character
will help her reach her goals. |
| Just a few years ago Natalia Godunko was known only by the
specialists and professionalists of rhythmic gymnastics, but nowadays she is
one of the most progressing gymnasts in the world, who improves her style,
polishes her compositions from competition to competition. Natasha's
extremely hard-working at trainings and stoical at competitions that helps
her achieve the top results. It is obvious that her main achievements are in
future, but even nowadays she impresses the audience with an unusual
gymnastics style and remarkable hair style. "A reddish imp" is her nickname
that suits her perfectly and depicts her marvelous qualities. Natasha's
unusual interpritation of the "Matrix" and "5th elements" are her
distinctive features. She is different and that is what makes her
distinguish between all other gymnasts. |
Natalia Godunko
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 1st place at the European
Championship 2002 - Russian Federation |
The team of Russia is renowned for the extreme flexibility and
good technique. The gymnasts of this country are getting top results at the
competition thanks to the new COP and high technical
preparation of the gymnasts. Alina Kabaeva and Irina Tschaschina are among the main
favourites for the European Champion title and surely they will present
themselves in top shape in summer in Kyiv.
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Alina Kabaeva
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Alina Kabaeva is a talented gymnast from the childhood. She
became a star 6 years ago when right out of the blue she won European
Championships in Portugal. Ever since then Alina won every all-round European
title and is currently going to make a record, aiming to her 5th all-round
title. Alina's charming smile is pleasing for the audience, she is
gregarious and sociable out of the carpet, making friends with many people
and being kind to her fans. On the carpet she executes the elements with not
a perfect technique, but supreme expression and unique flexibility elements
allow her keep on the top. Alina made a revolution in rhythmic gymnastics
and brought the new code of points into the reality. She's an idol for many
little girls who only make first steps in this graceful and beautiful kind
of sport. |
| Irina Tschaschina is often called "a book of technique" in
rhythmic gymnastics. She is able to produce the elements that no other
gymnasts can repeat with amazing easyness. Irina's compositions are fulled
with extraorinary difficult body and apparatus that she in most cases
performs idealy. On the other side, she lacks a bit of expression in her
routines mostly due to the recitent character. She definitely feels the
music inside, you can see her great inner-beauty, but unfortunately she
can't forward it to the audience, even though she is really hard-working and
trains from dusk till dawn, repeating same elements mane times in order to
execute them perfectly later at competitions. Ira's constant coach, Vera
Shtelbaums, is a second granny for her, they have formed a great duet with
an impressive potential. |
Irina Tschaschina
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Olga Kapranova
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Olga Kapranova is one of the newcomes to the Rhythmic
Gymnastics elite. She first came into the sight of the judges a year ago on
Moscow Grand Prix, when she came to the National Team because of the
disquallification of Alina Kabaeva and Irina Tschaschina. As well as the
astromers, judges didn't hasten to announce the appearance of the new star.
Her style is definitely classical, Olga is a very "soft" gymnast with
extreme back and leg flexibility. She is renowned for the execution of
elements in back scale position : pivots, "slow turns", flexibilities that
are hardly ever not perfect. She lacks a bit of force and power in her
routines, but it's not a big disadvantage. She has many years to spend in
rhythmic gymnastics and surely she will become a great gymnast in future. |
| This gymnast perharps has the ideal shape for rhythmic
gymnastics : thin and long-legged. She is one of the favourites to come to
European Championships from Russia : her World and European titles will
surely help her be in the team. Last year she as well won the Grand Prix
series with ribbon. This year her hope is to perform a routine at European
Championships in team event. She wants to continue rhythmic gymnastics and
win a medal at Olimpic Games in 2008. |
Vera Sesina
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 2nd
place at the European Championship 2002 - Bulgaria |
Every specialist in Rhythmic Gymnastics rememebrs "The Golden Era", so-called
period when Bulgarian gymnasts were dominating on every competition, when they
won every medal. After the retirement of Maria Petrova and when legendary coach
Neshka Robeva was no longer a coach of the national team, there was a dip in
Bulgarian Rhythmic Gymnastics which lasted till new stars - Simona Peycheva and
Elizabeth Paisieva grew enough to present themselves at international stage
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Elizabeth Paisieva
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For two years Elizabeth, who is surely an extremely
fascinating gymnast, was in the shade of her teammate, but last season
showed that Elizabeth is able to cope with the leadership in the team
perfectly. Due to the absence of Peycheva at World Championships, Elizabeth
had to present herself as 1st number of the Bulgarian team. She executed
this role, as well as her routines on the carpet, magnificently, having won
an unexpected, but deserved bronze medal in ribbon final. Betty formed a
spectacular duet with Stella Salaptyska, earlier a famous Bulgarian gymnast.
Their work is always original and interesting. Paisieva made tremendous
progress during the last season, we hope she won't stop and will reach her
goal in the new season. |
| Silvia Miteva like a lightning
burst into the elite of rhythmic gymnastics. Just a year ago only bulgarian
specialists could say a few words about this gymnast, but Silvia made
everybody talk about herself having won several major competitions over
recognized gymnastics' stars. Miteva was able to become one of the national
team leaders in only one years time after breaking through a long "bench" of
Bulgarian stars. Silvia dreamed of doing at least 1 routine at World
Championships, but having reached 3rd place at Bulgarian firmament, Miteva
got the right not only to show her brightly shining talent from all sides,
but also to compete among the best World gymnasts in the all-round final.
She got very important expeirence. We all sincerely hope that this little
star will soon become a bright consellation that will bring her native
country much happyness and success.
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Silvia Miteva
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Maya Paunovska
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 4th
place at the European Championships 2002 - Belarus |
Belarus team is raising again to top position nowadays. After the operation
and fatile recovery of Yulia Raskina, silver medallist of Sydney Olimpics,
Belarus team was left without a leader. Irina Leparskaya, head coach of the
team, had to prepare new stars and bring them on the competitive carpet. The two
main Belarus stars, Inna Zhukova and Svetlana Rudalova, are not natively
Belarussian, but they successfully represent their second native country on the
international stage
| Inna Zhukova, having moved to Belarus from Russia in 2000,
quickly managed to become the National team Member. We can hardly remember
that timid girl on World Championships 2001 in Madrid that kept falling down
on the floor after pivot combinations. Nowadays her instability is in the
past. Inna became a stable worker who is ready to face all the rivals. If
she makes a mistake, she tries to do the next routine much better - "there
is always a mistake to be verified" - that is her credo. She never gives up,
always tries to compete as good as she can. Once Inna competed with a fever,
she was running a temperature of 38o Celcious and she did her
routines without a tiny mistake. What a strong character! |
Inna Zhukova
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Svetlana Rudalova
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Svetlana Rudalova, natively Ukrainian, is one of the most
graceful gymnasts nowadays. Whenever she competes, she is always cheered up
and supported. Sveta shows the real beauty of rhythmic gymnastics in perfect
lines, great flexibility and wonderful expression. The music choice is often
unexpected, the music she uses is so unusual that often people wonder : "How
is it possible to interpret such difficult music?". Rudalova certainly knows
the answer to this question although she will never answer it. The
distinctive style and unsurpassed appeareance helps Sveta be in the hearts
and souls of people around the world. |
|
Valeria is nowadays
the 3rd gymnast of Belarus team. She was a very well known junior and she
wants to shine as a senior as well. With her perfect body to this sport and
with her great flexibility she could be one of the future stars of RG. Her
coach is a legendary gymnast Larissa Loukianenko, who will surely forward
her experience to Valeria
As she is only 15
she will surely improve and developed her own style and in the next olympic
games (2008) she could be one of the medallists.
|
Valeria Kurilskaya
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Luibov
Cherkashina
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Luibov is another hope for Belarus team. She has everything
to become a well-known gymnast - good technique, apparatus and body control.
She lacks her own recognizable style yet, but 2003 was her first year as a
senior and she has a lot of time to proceed into the real stars of rhythmic
gymnastics as her older teammates are |
 5th
place at the European Championships 2002 - Spain |
|
Almudena Cid is one of very few veterans in Rhythmic
Gymnastics, surrounded by new exponents to the world of this sport; she
manages to retain her individualistic style whilst keeping up with the
demanding requirements of the current Code of Points. Almudena
is a reference in the world of the rhythmic gymnastic and she is on the
heart of many fans all over the world. She is also very admired in her
country and many spanish girls had enter to RG thanks to her. She started to
shine in 95 and after that she never left the top places.
In her quest to make Olympic history by qualifying for her third Olympic
final in Athens, this European Championships should set her well on her way.
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Almudena Cid
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Jennifer Colino
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Jennifer burst onto the scene in 2001, since then she has
electrified audiences all around the world with her exuberant and
captivating performances. Jenni,
as she is call by many spanish fans is a very fast and dynamic gymnast. She
has very difficult routines and they are full of energy and expression and
that´s why her nickname is earthquake (in spanish terremoto).
As a sound technical gymnast she excels in the field of artistry and its
rare to see a gymnast put so much into her routines, Jennifer undoubtedly
will be battling for an Olympic birth for Spain.
|
 6th
place at the European Championship 2002 - Greece |
|
Elení is one of the
greatest gymnasts that greek school had prepared to Olympic games in their
own country. She is a very talented gymnast, with great routines and great
potential to this sport.
She firstly appeared
in madrid where she wasn´t very noticed by audience and judges. Then, after
a very hard work she was very successful at European Championship 2002 and
she get a very high result. At World Championship 2003, she successfully
competed and she helped her teamm get 2 gymnasts qualified for the
olympic games which was a very good result.
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Eleni
Andriola
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Theodora Pallidou
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Theodora is a very
talented gymnast from the new greek school. Her routines are full of
difficult elements and she works in a very clean way. Her great back
flexibility allows her to fit the COP and her pivots are amazing.
She surprised the
world in Budapest where she placed very well and became the 2nd gymnast of
Greece.
Her sport aim is to
participate in olympic games in 2004 and as she is only 15 she also can go
to Olympic Games 2008...
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7th
place at the European Championship 2002 - Italy |
|
Ever since her first
World Championships back in 1995 Laura has been a reliable member of the
up-and-coming Italian team. With good technical abilities she has grown
with this COP as a gymnast. As an experienced competitor, she’ll draw upon
this to help her performances.
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Laura
Zachilli
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Susanna Marchesi
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Susana, as an Olympian
is an acknowledged strong performer, after retiring for a whole year when
the present Code of Points was started, it was almost impossible for her to
maintain her former abilities, however she is still without question a
reliable member of the Italian team.
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Julietta Cantaluppi
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 8th
place at the European Championship 2002- Israel |
9th
place at the European Championship 2002 - France |
 10th
place at the European Championship 2002 -Great
Britain |
Elaine Kibble
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Introducing group B - the teams from Austria, Czech
Republic, Poland, Estonia, Azerbaijan, Finland, Latvia, Slovenia, the
Netherlands and Hungary
 11th
place at European Championships 2002 - Austria |
12th
place at the European Championship 2002 -Czech Republic |
 14th
place at the World Championships 2003 -
Poland |
15th place on European
Championship 2002 - Estonia |
 16th
place on European Championship 2002 - Azerbaijan |
 17th
place at the European Championship 2002 -Finland |
Marleena Sarasuirta
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18th place at European
Championships 2002 - Latvia |
Marina Kisluhina
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19th place at European
Championships 2002 - Slovenia |
Andrea Zegarac
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20th place at European
Championships 2002 - Hungary |
Fruszina Benyo
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21th place at European
Championships 2002 - The Netherlands |
Introducing the participants of group C
 15th
place at the World Championships 2003 -Germany |
Raissa Feldman
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22nd place at the European
Championship 2002 - Portugal |
Ines Gomes
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25th place at the
European Championship 2002 - Cyprus |
Turkey |
Gizem Oylumlu
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Moldova |
Elena Beletkaia
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Lithuania |
Slovakia |
Sweden |
Photo support of the Preview :
Tom Theobald, Patrick Tower, Dirk Zimmerman, Barny Thierolf, Esther Teijeira,
Volker Minkus, Veneta Avramova and others.
