Quick hits: 2011 European Championships, women's all around final

Welcome to Examiner.com's live commentary of the women's all around final at the 2011 European Championships! I'll be here for the duration of the competition providing quick hits and commentary, so please check back often. As always, thank you for following, and enjoy the meet!

6:10 p.m.: A note on the men's competition. It was a great fight for the gold medal, but the best man won. Philipp Boywas clearly the class of the field, though he had serious competition from teammate Marcel Nguyen, Ukraine's Mykola Kuksenkov, Dan Purvis of Great Britain, and, somewhat surprisingly, Flavius Koczi of Romania (I wrote a couple of years ago that Koczi was one of the world's most underrated all-arounders. It's just taken a little time to prove it).

What made this competition most exciting was the fact that five rotations through, it appeared very unlikely that Boy would come through to take the title. But he didn't disappoint. Read the quick hits here. 

6:17 p.m.: Won medal, off to catch shuttle. The medal ceremonies are not happening here in the Max-Schmeling-Halle, but downtown at the Sony Center at Potsdamer Platz, which is a good 40 minutes away if you're taking public transportation.

They did put the winners on podiums and play the German national anthem for completeness at the end of the men's competition. But in the photos of the gymnasts on the medal stand that surface immediately after this competition, the gymnasts may have flowers but no medals.

The idea of doing it this way is to get the public interested in gymnastics, which is a good, but it gives the gymnasts precious little time with the media after the meet since they are hurrying to catch a shuttle.

6:22 p.m.: Looking ahead: The 2012 Europeans are being held in Brussels, Belgium May 9-13, 2012. (The official website for that can be found here.) According to the site, the 2012 Euros will be analagous to the 2010 Europeans, meaning there will be a junior team competition, all-around final and event finals, but just team and event finals for the seniors. Janssen-Fritsen will be the equipment supplier.

6:41 p.m.: The arena is filling up, and it promises to be almost a packed house for this competition. Tatiana Nabieva andYulia Belokobylskaya, both dressed in the red and white Russian warmups, are cleaning and chalking the bars. 

6:46 p.m.: Spotting Marine Petit, Clara Della Vedova and Mira Boumejmajen sitting in the stands reminded me that within Europe there are plenty of intercountry rivalries. One of the hottest may be France vs. Belgium.

Yves Kieffler, the former French coach who groomed the 2004 generation, was rejected in Switzerland by the gymnasts themselves (Ariella Kaeslin and others refused to work with him) and moved to Belgium, where he's busy whipping the national team into shape if the looks of Julie Croket, Antje van de Velde and Lisa Verschueren are any indication.

It seems to be the older athletes who object to working with him -- notably, Aagje Vanwalleghem was very against it and vocal about it to the media. But there's little doubt that at the moment the Belgians are the team on the rise. Vanwalleghem and Croket will be in tonight's all-around final. Croket qualified fifth and could be one of the big surprises of tonight's meet. Vanwalleghem qualified 13th.

6:57 p.m.: The coaches are maching in, and the judges and athletes are soon to follow. It begins!

 

 

Fashion/warmup notes: Aliya Mustafina is in the Russian blue leotard from the World Championships...Danusia Francis in shiny purple, Jana Sikulova in a black velvet bodice with orange sleeves that made The Couch Gymnast's fashion police lineup a few weeks ago.

Danusia Francis, vault: FTY with a bounce back.

 

Anna Dementyeva, bars: Toe Khorkina II caught on fingertips. Inbar stalder to inbar blind to Jager. Hop full to Takteve. Bail to Ray to high. Double layout with a step back. Dementyeva is smiley after this routine, looking for her score. 14.25. She kind of makes an "aie!" face, like she wants to say "ay-yi-yi!"

 

Marine Brevet, beam: Swing through mount. Switch, scissone. Frotn aerial, bhs, layout, leg comes up a little but OK. Switch ring, head not back enough. Full turn with leg at head, a little off but again OK. Side aerial, side somie combo. Double pike, step forward. 

 

Carlotta Ferlito, floor: Thirsd pass is whip to double full, tiny hop back. Last pass: Double pike with a hop back. Crowd loves this routine. 

 

Stefani Bismpikou, vault: Bismpikou is in sleeves black with acid green shoulders. FTY. 

 

Ariella Kaeslin, bars: Shaposhnikova, to bail to clear hip hecht to high. Clear hip to blind to Markelov. Tkatchev, very good. Full turn to full twisting double tuck, just a step/hop.

 

Julie Croket, beam: Almost comes off on punch front, turns to the side and bends her knees. Switch half, good. Full turn with leg up. Front aerial, bhs, layout, very nice. Has gotten over her initial nerves...side somie. Bhs, bhs, double pike, overrotates and rolls out to her back.

 

Vasiliki Millousi, floor: Missed first two passes. Enchanting music, I just love it. She dances like a Greek goddess might. Yes, that's corny. But true. Double pike. Switch ring, switch half. 

 

Aliya Mustafina, vault: Amanar -- and gets her left knee on the landing! OH NO! Mustafina is so tough that she nevertheless manages to salute the judges, Kerri Strug-like, before really grabbing her left knee. Russians get up there immediately to attend to her, and she's carried off the mat, tears in her eyes but saying nothing. The Russians are all gathered around Mustafina, who is obviously injured, but they haven't taken her out of the arena. 

 

Amelia Racea, bars:...bail to Ray to high, full turn to blind to double front, nearly stuck. Redemption!

 

Vanessa Ferrari, beam: Didn't see it.

 

Jana Sikulova, floor: Handspring double front, very good, just a step. Didn't see the rest. 

 

Elisabeth Seitz, vault: DTY, just a hop. Very good!

 

Hannah Whelan, bars: Malnoey to inbar Geinger and comes off. Shame! Finishes well with good Arabian double front dismount.

 

Valeriia Maksiuta, beam: Roundoff, double pike with a step. 

 

Aagje Vanwalleghem, floor: Full in pike. Double tuck. Switch, Tourjete half. Soft, dramatic music. Double pike to end.

 

Note: Mustafina is being wheeled out of the arena in a wheelchair, her team jacket on. WOW. This competition, maybe even the Olympic championship, just got a lot more open. 

 

Dorina Boczogo, vault: FTY, nice.

 

Veronica Wagner, bars: Sat down double front dismount after great hit routine.

 

Celine van Gerner, beam: Near fall early in the routine -- crowd goes "ohhh!" but stays on. Switch side. Double pike with a small step to the side. 

 

Diana Chelaru, floor: Full in tuck, stuck. Triple full. Tourjete full after double tuck to single stag jump, very energetic. Really open double pike at the top to end. The crowd loved the choreo of her Hungarian Rhapsody!

 

Marta Pihan-Kulesza, vault: Handspring front pike half, small hop/step.

 

Giulia Steingruber, bars: Shaposh to Pak. Hecht to high, Full turn to very nice Geinger. clear hipo to blind to front giants to double front, very well landed -- almost -- stuck. Big applause for the Swiss gymnast.

 

Jonna Adlerteg, beam: Big wobble on full turn with leg up. Switch ring. Double tuck dismount, just a little overrotated but she rolls out of it. Too bad! That's experience, I think. 

 

Yvette Moshage, floor: OOB on 1.5 to double full last pass. Classical jazzy violins piece.

 

 

Five gymnasts -- sans Mustafina -- have been presented to the judges for bars in this second rotation. Mustafina and Alexander Alexandrov are gone. Thinking back to that jumbotron replay of Mustafina's Amanar, it did not look good. However, I'm not convinced that the bone in her knee snapped. It definitely moved. But if you watch video of others blowing their ACLs -- notably Yekateina Lobaznyuk in 2001 or John Roethlisberger in 1998 -- you can see the bone actually break. This did not happen here. Even so, she did something bad to it. And she didn't even cry, really.

 

It's broadcast over the loudspeaker that Mustafina will not return due to injury. "We send her our best wishes for a speedy recovery," the announcer says.

 

So the question now is, if Mustafina's out, who's your European all-around champion? 

 

Mustafina got a 15.375 for her Amanar, and ironically, is leading the field. Seitz is second, Chelaru third, Dementyeva fourth.

 

Vasiliki Millousi, vault: Yurchenko layout. 

 

Stefani Bismpikou, bars: Overbalances a handstand early on, then struggles a little with hop change before her Jaeger. Bail to toe hecht to high. Full twisting double tuck to her hands and knees. 

 

Ariella Kaeslin, beam: Roundoff, layout to two feet, leg comes up but she stays on. Roundoff, layout to two feet. Punch front, a little check. Side somie, solid. Shushunova with 3/4 turn to back hip circle. Switch half. Full turn with leg up, good. She's being just a little careful, I feel. Switch, back tuck. Roundoff, double pike dismount, step back. 

 

Julie Croket, floor: Jazzy music...Full in pike, little bounce back. Second pass ended in a double full, I think. 1.5 to front layout full, well done. Using a cut of the same the same music Elena Zamolodchikova used in 2000-2001. High double pike to good landing to end.

 

Jana Sikulova, vault: FTY with a step back. 

 

Aliya Mustafina, bars: Sadly scratched.

 

Amelia Racea, beam: Full twist. Front aerial, bhs, back layout. Switch side. Switch half, very nice. Side aerial, good. Side somie. I think this is a real opportunity for her. Switch to back tuck, wobble, extra step. Jumps. Little check right before her dismount on something like a half turn too. 2.5 with step forward...maybe a 0.3 step. 14.55.

 

Vanessa Ferrari, floor: Had the misfortune to perform while Seitz was on bars. I caught the last two passes -- double tuck and double pike, both well landed. Really put everything she had into the dance.

 

Aagje Vanwalleghem, vault: Didn't see it.

 

Elisabeth Seitz, bars: Catches the Def! Oh boy. Church. Jaeger, very good. Stalder full to bail to hecht to high. Full turn to full in tuck, and well landed, tiny hop! She's so happy she's practically crying as she comes off the podium. 14.725 moves her into the lead.

 

Hannah Whelan, beam: Almsot comes off on her sheep. Onodi. Full turn. Jumps. Side aerial, back layout, excellent. Check on something I didn't see. 2.5 twist with a step.

 

Valeriia Maksiuta, floor: Falls on her last pass on floor. 

 

Diana Chelaru, vault: Should be a DTY...it is. Bouncy little DTY too, a bit of leg form but just a small bounce back on landing.

 

Dorina Boczogo, bars: Hit routine with Jaeger, front stalder and double front dismount. One small hesitation going up to handstand, and didn't come near handstand when casting after her Jaeger, but still, a success for her.

 

Veronica Wagner, beam: Hitting her routine thusfar...great running double front dismount, just a tiny hop. 

 

Celine van Gerner, floor: Full in tuck. Arabian double front, I believe. Switch side. Violin music gives way to something a bit harder. 2.5, stuck. Nice. Double tuck to single stag jump.

 

Marta Pihan-Kulesza, bars: Shaposh to clear hip to Ricna....double front with a step forward.

 

Giulia Steingruber, beam: Punch front. Side somie. Wobble after front aerial. Bhs, layout. Switch half, I think..Rudi dismount, cool and different.

 

Jonna Adlerteg, floor: First pass had a single stag jump at the end of it. 2.5. Switch to another leap. I like her more and more. Switch ring. Rhythmic gymnast's body and nice dance capabilities...1.5 to front layout. 2.25 turn that was really meant to be a triple. Spins like a rhythmic gymnast too. Double tuck, landed a tad low.

 

Yvette Mosage, vault: Unremarkable FTY. 

 

Carlotta Ferlito, vault: Yurchenko 1.5 with a hop.

 

Danusia Francis, bars: Maloney to bail to Ray, blind to frotn giuant to jam to Jagerk, well done. Tkatchev, a little close. Full turn to giant to double piek with very nice landing. 

 

Anna Dementyeva, beam: Roll on mount. Illusion, little wobble, kind of usual for her. Switch ring, another little wobble, leg comes up a little. Onodi to sheep, tiny check again. Front aerial, switch, back tuck. Roundoff, layout, a little off but pulls it back with minimal effort. Side aerial. Just the dismount. Triple full, actually a little overrotated and she steps off the mat. Not a bad routine, but not one free of errors. A poker faced Alexander Alexandrov greets her off the podium, shakes her hand.

 

Marine Brevet, floor: Cries of "Allez!" from around the arena...Full in pike, I think she stepped out. 1.5 to double tuck. Switch ring to switch half. Easy double full third pass. Double turn with leg at head. Tourjete half. She has lovely movements, but the music doesn't really direct her. It's a fairly vague piece of music, which is a shame. She should have something a littl emore specially choreographed to her style, I think. Double pike to end. 

 

 

Dementyeva takes the lead after beam, 0.05 ahead of Seitz, with Chelaru 0.5 back from the leader.

Jana Sikulova, bars: Haha, they have to raise the bars at the beginning of the rotation and then probably lower them again after Sikulova goes. Hit routine with double front dismount. 

 

Aliya Mustafina, beam: Scratch.

 

Amelia Racea, floor: Opportunity. Wearing shoes. Double turn with leg up. Full in tuck with a step back. Triple full, little shuffle on the landing. Tourjete half. 2.5 to punch front, small adjustment on landing. She's using a different cut of Millousi's music, I think. Double tuck, another tiny hop forward. She looks a little tired.

 

Valeriia Maksiuta, vault: Handspring front tuck full with a hop.

 

Aagje Vanwalleghem, bars: Came off on something, didn't see what.

 

Elisabeth Seitz, beam: PUnch front, solid. Almost comes off on side somie, windmills her arms several times and bends at the waist. Switch, back tuck. Front aerial, pauses for adjustment, bhs, layout, leg comes up but she saves it again. She is giving the crowd a fright. Tourjete. Roundoff, double pike with a hop back. 13.625, maybe a little bit of a gift.

 

Hannah Whelan, floor: Whip to triple full, step back adn but all the way around. 1.5 to 2.5. single stag jump. Closes with a really nice double pike. 

 

Celine van Gerner, vault: FTY

 

Diana Chelaru, bars: Jump to high, clear hip full to in bar Geineger. Pirouette to Jaeger. Bail to hecht to high, little dead in her hang on high bar regrasp, full turn to giants to double layout, small hop. Hm. Very Romanian.

 

Dorina Boczogo, beam: Mounts with a press to handstand that she shows on one arm. Unusual front somie, landing one foot at a time, to back tuck. Standing back layout. Messy turn with leg up -- badly bent leg, and I don't think that was intentional. Roundoff, double tuck with a step forward. 

 

Veronica Wagner, floor: Fast paced music, but very clean in all her movements. Third pass was front full to frotn layout. Last pass Rudi, stuck.

 

Danusia Frances, beam: Jumps. Front aerial, wobble, bhs, layout, Wild on full turn with leg up. Side aerial, nice. Side somie, wobble, leg comes up. Full turn with leg at head, tiny hesitation. Bhs, bhs, double tuck to great landing!

 

Jonna Adlerteg, vault: FTY, kinda labored. She's not a power gymnast.

 

Yvette Moshage, bars: Hit routine. 

 

Marta Pihan-Kulesza, beam: Hit routine with switch, back tuck, Tourjete half (little check) and very nice down on beam sequence. Doubble front dismount, step forward.

 

Giulia Steingruber, floor: Awesome double layout. 1.5 to front full -- or was it 2.5 to front layout full? Tourjete half. Lots of power, that one. Double full, bounce back. Music is a clarinet piece that's fairly Swiss in some ways, I suppose. Double pike with a step back. Nice routine overall.

 

Marine Brevet, vault: FTY with a hop. 

 

Carlotta Ferlito, bars: Hit routine, I believe. At least, she didn't fall...

 

Anna Dementyeva, floor: Full in pike, basically stuck. Very good. Whip whip to triple full, another excellent landing! Switch ring, switch side. Oh boy...wonderful double stag with head thrown back as music changes...really performing to the crowd. 2.5 to front layout half, terrific. So far, a wow. Stuck double pike! Oh yeah. Big smile on her face as she comes off the podium. 

 

Julie Croket, vault: Handspring front tuck full, well done. 

 

Vasiliki Millousi, bars: Great hit routine with double pike dismount, very close to being stuck.

 

Stefani Bismpikou, beam: Front aerial, Onodi, bhs, layout? I think it was! The last three anyway. Side aerial, little wobble. Switch, back tuck, solid. Side somie. Double pike, low landing and steps forward.

 

Ariella Kaeslin, floor: PIcked up midway through...nothing was wrong with her first pass though. Double turn with leg at head. Double full third pass. Switch side. Double turn. Double pike with a step back. Shushunova to a pose to end her routine. Like that -- I miss the Shushunova sometimes. 

 

 

After three, Dementyeva is in the lead, followed by Seitz, Chelaru and Racea...

Dementyeva is off by herself, visualizing...vault is not her event, but she could possibly, with a stick or something close, win the European all-around title...wouldn't that be something for this underrated, hard-working Russian!

Notice from the press service regarding Mustafina:

"Aliya Mustafina of Russia got an injury of her left knee. It seems to be a knee distortion. She had to stop the competition and she's now on her way to the hospital. We'll give you more information as soon as possible."