2010 European Championships: Jots from junior women's podium training

BIRMINGHAM -- The All-Around liveblogged part of junior women's podium training, which began today at the National Indoor Arena.

Unlike the men, the Russian women were able to make it to Birmingham in time for the meet. So far they look pretty good, or amazing, depending on who you talk to.

The Romanians looked very well prepared themselves. I attended a portion of the afternoon training session and was able to see the Romanian juniors perform on bars, beam and floor. Young Diana Bulimar was the cream of the team. A few notes:

In person, the Romanian juniors don't look dreadful on bars. There's certainly a few things here and there -- a bit of flexed feet on transitions and release moves, a bit of leg separation occasionally, and yes, the Romanians in general don't have the prettiest swing. However, the state of Romanian bars could certainly be worse.

Larissa Iordache threw a full twisting double pike off uneven bars. Looked good.

Diana Bulimar also looked very sharp. She's not bad on bars, but she often pikes her body on the downswing of her handstands in a rather unattractive way. She did two full routines and stuck her double pike cold on the second one.

One of the Portuguese juniors is using the theme to "Sex and the City" mixed with something else on floor. I was impressed with the Portuguese seniors at the French International, though they did not do very well in the competition. Both of the Portuguese juniors opened up with double tucks on floor, legs glued together.

Even in podium training, the Romanian girls are photographer magnets. Four or five photogs stood around the podium, shutters clicking at every move in every routine.

The gymnast from Bulgaria, who was on bars with the Romanians, struggled a good deal.

The Spanish girls, in shiny short sleeved red, yellow and navy blue numbers and black shorts, have decent swing on bars but had all kinds of problems in this training session. A lot of misses. Still, in general, they have nice lines and good form.

The Danish were OK on floor.

Nice full twisting double pike from Bulimar on floor, and full twisting double tuck from Iordache. Bulimar also worked a 1.5 to double tuck.

The Czech Republic team was in pretty blue and white long sleeved leotards and didn't look that great on bars.

The Romanians would do their tumbling passes and then a bit of dance out of them. Nice movements.

Bulimar did a lovely double layout with some small assistance from the Romanian coach, then did another 1.5 to double back. She stuck that one. She's also working to stick her full twisting double pike.

All the Romanians did difficult tumbling, but Bulimar did more (and more repetitions) than everyone else.

Someone else worked a 2.5 twist to two consecutive punch fronts.

The weakest event for everybody is vault. I saw nothing more complicated than a Yurchenko full from the Spanish (did not see the Romanians on vault, however.) There were also a few piked Tsukaharas, piked Yurchenkos, handspring front tucks.

Each of the Romanians then proceeded to do a full floor routine. The Romanians have also adopted the trend, begun by the Russians, of "dancing" into their opening poses on floor. I like it -- very classy.

Who's the Romanian who does Bond? Full in pike, a little low. Double full. 2.5 to punch front. Double pike with steps back. Teammates cheering her on all the way.

Romanian no. 2 on floor has dramatic Arabian/Egyptian music. Full twisting double back. Double tuck hop back. Good leaps. Roundoff 2.5 punch front. Triple full to end.

Bulimar: Nice double layout. Claps and cheers from her teammates. 1.5 to double back, steps back and OOB. Boy, this one is a performer! Stuck full in pike. Easy looking double pike to end it.

Iordache: Stuck full twisting double pike. Spanish music. 2.5 to two punch fronts. Double tuck. Triple turn. Her right ankle is taped. Wonderful triple twist to end.

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