Senna Deriks retires

Senna Deriks put an end to her gymnastics career. The 2016 Olympian was a lock to the Belgian gymnastics team since 2016 and was the team captain the last few years. 

credit: An Vanderstraeten

Born on 30th of December 2000 in Emmen (The Netherlands), she was eligible for the 2016 Olympic Games by 2 days. She started gymnastics at Gymgroep AS. Her father requested the Belgian citizenship to enable Senna to train in Ghent, in the training center of the Flemish Gymnastics Federation.

Senna missed the 2014 Junior European Championships and the 2015 European Youth Olympic Festival due to injury but came back strong at the Top Gym and was basically a lock to the team in 2016. She was part of the team that qualified for the Olympic Games at the Olympic Test Event in Rio and was also the youngest athlete competing at  the Rio Olympic Games, where she placed 12th with the team.

​Plagued by injuries, Senna only competed on uneven bars at the European championships in Glasgow in 2018. The team finished 3rd in qualifications but did not compete in the team final in order to avoid any injury, as Worlds later that year were the first step towards the 2020 Games. At the World championships in Doha on November, Senna was part of the team that finished 11th.

In 2019 Senna competed at the European Games in Minsk where she finished 6th in the all-around, with her personal best. She was the captain of the team that finished 10th at the World Championships in Stuttgart and qualified as a team for the Tokyo Olympics. The postponement of the Games was a key factor to her decision, as she decided to concentrate on her studies. We wish her all the best!

Credit: An Vanderstraeten

​Results

2019

Belgian championships: 3rd all-around

FIT-Challenge: 1st team final

European Games (Minsk): 6th all-around

World Championships (Stuttgart): 10th team

2018

DTB-Team Challenge (Stuttgart): 1st team

Belgian championships: 3rd all-around

European Championships (Glasgow): 3rd team (qualifications)

World Championships (Doha): 11th team

2017

Jesolo Trophy (Jesolo): 4th uneven bars, 5th floor, 11th all-around

​2016

Olympic Games (Rio De Janeiro): 12th team

Olympic Test Event (Rio De Janeiro): 3rd team, 6th uneven bars

​2015

Top Gym (Charleroi): 2nd all-around, 3rd team, 2nd uneven bars, 3rd beam

​Belgian Junior Championships: 2nd all-around

Gymnix International 2020: Strong results for Team Belgium!

In early march Montreal (Canada) welcomed the International Gymnix. Team Belgium was represented by a junior and a senior team and several individual gymnasts. 

On Friday, Maellyse Brassart, Margaux Daveloose, Fien Enghels and Lisa Vaelen competed for Team Belgium while Stacy Bertrandt and Jade Vansteenkiste competed as individuals.

The team won the silver medal behind Team USA and ahead of Canada. Lisa finished 6th in the all-around, while Jade and Stacy also finished in the top ten with an 8th and 9th place.

Credit: Lara Van Dyck Facebook.

Team results Senior Cup:

1. United States  160.628

2. Belgium        153.330

3. Canada 1       150.429

4. Canada 2       150.330

5. Australia        150.163

6. Canada 3       146.66

All-around results Senior Cup:

1. Emily Lee (USA) 53.831

2. MyKayla Skinner (USA) 52.631

3. Audrey Rousseau (CAN) 52.532

4. Faith Torrez (USA) 52.198

5. Lillian Lippeatt (USA) 51.399

6. Lisa Vaelen (BEL) 51.132

7. Kate McDonald (AUS) 50.766

8. Jade Vansteenkiste (BEL) 50.532

9. Stacy Bertrandt (BEL) 50.531

10. Victoria-Kayen Woo (CAN) 49.932

11. Margaux Daveloose (BEL) 49.866

...

12. Fien Enghels (BEL) 49.732

...

21. Maellyse Brassart (BEL) 48.365

Credit: Lara Van Dyck facebook.

On Saturday, the juniors took the floor. 1st year junior Zsofi Verleden competed in the Junior Challenge and qualified for the floor final on Sunday.

Charlotte Beydts, Margaux Dandois, Keziah Langendock and Jutta Verkest won the silver medal in the team competition. Team USA once again won the gold and Canada the bronze.

Keziah also won the bronze medal in the all-around. Jutta was 6th, Charlotte 16th and Margaux 21st.

Team results Junior Cup:

1. United States          164.061

2. Belgium                151.229

3.Canada 2                150.996

4. Canada 1               150.898

5. Australia                147.863

6. Germany               142.828

All-around results Junior Cup:

1. Skye Blakely (USA) 56.132

2. Konnor Mc Clain (USA) 55.098

3. Keziah Langendock (BEL) 51.365

...

6. Jutta Verkest (BEL) 51.098

...

16.Charlotte Beydts (BEL) 48.099

...

21. Margaux Dandois (BEL) 46.666

The International Gymnix concluded on Sunday with the apparatus finals.

On bars, Jutta Verkest won the bronze medal with 12.566. Keziah had a difficult time and finished 8th. On beam Jutta was 4th, only 0.033 away from another bronze medal. Keziah took the 6th place on beam with 12.300. Zsofi Verleden won the silver medal on floor in the Gymnix Challenge final. Keziah  finished 5th in Junior floor final with 12.433 while Margaux Dandois took the 7th place with 12.166.

On the senior side, Fien Enghels won the gold medal on uneven bars with 13.766. Margaux Daveloose finished 7th. On beam Maellyse Brassart showed her poise and won the bronze medal with a score of 12.833. Lisa Vaelen had to count a fall and finished 7th. On floor Jade Vansteenkiste finished 3rd. She opened her routine with a gorgeous triple twist and scored 13.400. Lisa also showed some skyhigh tumbles but unfortunately fell on one of them. She finished 8th.

Junior Uneven bars final:

1 Konnor McClain (USA) 14.100

2 Skye Blakely (USA) 13.600

3 Jutta Verkest (BEL) 12.566 

4 Ruby Pass (AUS) 12.233

5 Sydney Turner(CAN) 12.100

6 Rylee Miller (CAN) 11.933

7 Pia Meier (GER) 11.466

8 Kéziah Langendock (BEL) 11.133

Junior Beam final:

1 Konnor McClain (USA) 13.466

2 Skye Blakely  (USA) 13.033

3 Ava Stewart (CAN) 12.566

4 Jutta Verkest (BEL) 12.533

5 Bailey Inglis (CAN) 12.333

6 Kéziah Langendock (BEL) 12.300

6 Olena Edmeades (AUS) 12.300

8 Chloe Saliaris (AUS) 10.366

Junior Floor final:

1 Konnor McClain (USA) 13.166

2 Bailey Inglis (CAN) 13.133

3 Skye Blakely (USA) 13.100

4 Sydney Turner (CAN) 12.500

5 Kéziah Langendock (BEL) 12.433

6 Chloe Saliaris (AUS) 12.366

7 Margaux Dandois (BEL) 12.166

8 Anna Lena Koenig (GER) 11.900

Senior Uneven bars final:

1 Fien Enghels (BEL) 13.766 

1. MyKayla Skinner (USA) 13.766

3 Faith Torrez (USA) 12.966

4 Victoria-Kayen Woo (CAN) 12.833

5 Miriana Perkins (AUS) 12.233

6 Romi Brown (AUS) 11.900

7 Margaux Daveloose (BEL) 11.866 

8 Laurie Denommée (CAN) 11.500

Senior Beam final:

1 Faith Torrez (USA) 13.966

2 Kate McDonald (AUS) 13.100

3 Maellyse Brassart (BEL) 12.833 

4 Sophie Marois (CAN) 12.733

5 Talia Folino (AUS) 12.500

6 Rose-Kaying Woo (CAN) 12.366

7 Lisa Vaelen (BEL) 11.133 

8 Lillian Lippeatt (USA) 10.833

Senior Floor final:

1 MyKayla Skinner (USA) 14.133

2 Emily Lee (USA) 13.433

3 Jade Vansteenkiste (BEL) 13.400 

4 Rose-Kaying Woo (CAN) 12.866

4 Isabela Onyshko (CAN) 12.866

6 Kate McDonald (AUS) 12.733

7 Breanna Scott (AUS) 12.700

8 Lisa Vaelen (BEL) 11.866

Worlds 2019: 5th place for Nina Derwael in the all-around final!

Thursday afternoon, Nina Derwael competed in the all-around final at the World Championships in Stuttgart. She was impressive and finished 5th. 

Nina started her competition on uneven bars. She showed excellent work and scored 15.200, a little more than in qualifications. She was also solid on beam, showing a back handspring to a layout step out, a triple wolf turn and a Steingruber dismount for a score of 13.733.

In the third rotation Nina was first up on floor where she once again showed excellent execution and expressiveness. She scored 13.500 for a routine that included a double tuck and a triple wolf turn.

On vault she received 13.600 for her Yurchenko with a full twist. She finishes 5th with a total of 56.033.

Simone Biles won her 5th World all-around title with 58.999. Tang Xijing from China won the silver medal, Angelina Melnikova the bronze.

Result all-around final:

1. Simone Biles (USA) 58.999

2. Tang Xijing (CHN) 56.899

3. Angelina Melnikova (RUS) 56.399

4. Ellie Black (CAN) 56.232

5. Nina Derwael (BEL) 56.033

6. Elisabeth Seizt (GER) 55.999

7. Flavia Saraiva (BRA) 55.732

8. Sunisa Lee (USA) 55.632

You can find the full results here.

On Saturday, Nina will defend her World title on uneven bars. The apparatus finals start at 16.00 and can be followed live on Sporza.

Worlds 2019: Men's qualifications: 18th place for Team Belgium

Monday afternoon the Belgian men completed their qualifications in Stuttgart. Just like the girls, they were in search of an olympic team ticket. A bad start in the first rotation cut their chances short right away. 

The men started their competition on pommel horse. Jimmy Verbaeys was off to a good start on the most difficult apparatus to start on. He scored 13.200. Unfortunately Noah Kuavita, Luka Van den Keybus and Maxime Gentges all fell. Luka scored 11.433 while Maxime saved a few tenths by adding extra difficulty after his fall (12.066). Noah got 10.933.

On rings Maxime scored 13.200 for a good routine. Noah and Jimmy added 12.733 and 12.566 to the team total while Luka got 12.300. On vault Noah received an excellent 14.400 for his handspring double front. Luka scored 13.900 for his Yurchenko double twist. Daan added another half twist and scored 14.166. Jimmy made a mistake and got 12.366.

The men then moved on to the parallel bars where Noah once again got the highest score of the team (13.866). Luka showed a clean routine for a score of 13.566 and Maxime got a 13.533. Jimmy was not far behind with 13.333. On high bar Noah impressed with his stuck triple piked dismount (13.566). Jimmy and Luka both showed clean and well controled routines, that scored 13.533 and 13.500. Daan displayed some impressive skills but fell on his first release to get 12.000.

On floor, the final apparatus, Luka was impressive with clean work and excellent landings. He scored 14.133. Jimmy went clean too and got 13.566. Daan showed a nice double double for a score of 13.433, while Noah received 12.933. 

The team, which hoped to get 245 points, scored 240.360 for the 18th place. Their ranking means they unfortunately didn't qualify a full team to the Games. This team, although experienced, is still quite young and there's room for improvement.

Russia was the best team out there with 259.928 to qualify into first, ahead of China (258.354) and Japan (258.026).

Here are the 12 teams that qualify for the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The top 8 will compete in the team final on Wednesday :

1. Russia 259.928
2. China 258.354
3. Japan 258.026
4. Ukraine  253.528
5. Great Britain 252.409
6. Switzerland 251.400
7. USA 250.359
8. Chinese Taipe 250.093
9 . South Korea  249.651
10. Brazil  247.236
11. Spain 246.727
12. Germany 246.508

All-around qualifiers:
1. Nikita Nagornyy (RUS) 87.333

2. Artur Dalaloyan (RUS) 86.531
3. Xiao Ruoteng (CHN) 85.831
4. Kazuma Kaya (JPN) 85.731
5. Sun Wei (CHN) 84.899
6. Petro Pakhniuk (UKR) 84.598
7. Lee Chih Kai (TPE) 84.481
8. Oleg Verniaiev (UKR) 84.299

Floor qualifiers:
1. Artem Dolgopyat (ISR) 15.033

2. Chaopan Lin (CHN) 14.933
3. Nikita Nagornyy (RUS) 14.900
4. Ruoteng Xiao (CHN) 14.833
5. Artur Dalaloyan (RUS) 14.733
6. Hansol Kim (KOR) 14.666
7. Carlos Edriel Yulo (PHI) 14.633
8. Dom Cunningham (GBR) 14.600

Pommel horse qualifiers: 

1. Max Whitlock (GBR) 15.266
2. Rhys McClenaghan (IRL) 15.200
3. Chih Kai Lee (TPE) 14.966
4. Jingyuan Zou (CHN) 14.958
5. Daiki Hashimoto (JPN) 14.883
6. Yu-Jan Shiao (TPE) 14.683
7. Cyril Tommasone (FRA) 14.666
8. Kazumo Kaya (JPN) 14.633

Rings qualifiers:
1. Ibrahim Colak (TUR) 14.858

2. Arthur Zanetti (BRA) 14.700
3. Samir Ait Said (FRA) 14.700
4. Elefherios Petrounias (GRE) 14.700
5. Marco Lodadio (ITA) 14.666
6. Denis Abliazin (RUS) 14.600
7. Nick Klessing (GER) 14.566
8. Artur Tovmasyan (ARM) 14.566. 

Vault qualifiers:
1. Hakseon Yang (KOR) 14.933

2. Artur Dalaloyan (RUS) 14.716
3. Wai Hung Shek (HKG) 14.666
4. Igor Radivilov (UKR) 14.666
5. Thanh Tun Le (VIE) 14.633
6. Marian Dragulescu (ROU) 14.624
7. Nikita Nagornyy (RUS) 14.616
8. Dom Cunningham (GBR) 14.566

Parallel bars qualifiers:
1. Lukas Dauser (GER) 15.033

2. Petro Pakhniuk (UKR) 15.033
3. Joe Fraser (GBR) 15.000
4. Ruoteng Xiao (CHN) 14.966
5. Ferhat Arican (TUR) 14.933
6. Wei Sun (CHN) 14.800
6. Onder Ahmet (TUR) 14.800
8. Kazuma Kaya (JPN) 14.800. 

High bar qualifiers:

1. Chia-Hung Tang (TPE) 14.933
2. Sam Mikulak (USA) 14.866
3. Tin Srbic (CRO) 14.833
4. Arthur Mariano (BRA) 14.600
5. Artur Dalaloyan (RUS) 14.433
6. Chaopan Lin (CHN) 14.433
7. Tyson Bull (AUS) 14.366
8. Daiki Hashimoto (JPN) 14.366

On Tuesday, the best 8 teams from the women's qualifications will battle for the medals at 14:30.

You can find all the results here.

Worlds 2019: Olympic Team qualification and 3 finals for Nina!

Friday morning, the Belgian girls competed during the qualifications at the World Championships. They scored 161.238 and finished 10th. Just like in Rio in 2016, the Belgian girls team qualified for the Olympic Games as a team. 

Apart from Olympic qualifications, the qualifications for the all-around and apparatus finals were also at stake. Nina Derwael qualified for 3 of them. 

With a score of 55.441, she placed 8th but qualifies in 7th place for the all-around final that will be held on Thursday. 4th times all-around World champion Simone Biles took the lead after the qualifications ahead of her teammate Sunisa Lee. Melanie de Jesus dos Santos from France qualified in 3rd. 

Nina, the World uneven bars champion confirmed her status by qualifying in first position for the final on Saturday. She scored 15.141 out of a 6.5 D-score. Russian Daria Spiridonova (15.016) and American Sunisa Lee (15.000) are not that far behind. It will be a close battle for the medals! 

Surprisingly Nina also qualified for the floor final thanks to her excellent E-score of 8.6, the highest  one of the field on floor. The floor final will be held on Sunday. The American girls ruled the floor qualifications. Simone Biles succesfully competed her triple-double and scored 14.833. Sunisa Lee and Jade Carey both scored 14.200. Sunisa qualifies for the final because of her better execution score. 

Team qualification result:

1. United States 174.205

2. China 169.161

3. Russia 168.080

4. France 166.713

5. Canada 162.922

6. The Netherlands 162.663

7. Great Britain 161.963

8. Italy 161.931

9. Germany 161.897

10. Belgium 161.238

11. Japan 161.228

12. Spain 159.021

All-around qualification results:

1. Simone Biles (USA) 59.432

2. Sunisa Lee (USA) 57.166

3. Melanie de Jesus dos Santos (FRA) 56.782

...

8. Nina Derwael (BEL) 55.441

Vault qualifiers :

1. Jade Carey (USA) 15.200

2. Simone Biles (USA) 15.199

3. Alexa Moreno (MEX) 14.816

4. Elissa Downie (GBR) 14.783

5. Seojeong Yeo (KOR) 14.766

6. Shallon Olsen (CAN) 14.683

7. Liliia Akhaimova (RUS) 14.633

8. Qi Qi (CHN) 14.599

Uneven Bars qualifiers :

1. Nina Derwael (BEL) 15.141

2. Daria Spiridonova (RUS) 15.016

3. Sunisa Lee (USA) 15.000
4. Elisabeth Seitz (GER) 14.800
5. Rebecca Downie (GBR)14.800

6. Liu Tingting (CHN) 14.766

7. Simone Biles (USA) 14.733

8. Angelina Melnikova (RUS) 14.700

Beam qualification results:

1. Simone Biles (USA) 14.800

2. Li Shijia (CHN) 14.500

3. Liu Tingting (CHN) 14.300

4. Flavia Saraiva (BRA) 14.266

5. Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos (FRA) 13.700

6. Sarah Voss (GER) 13.600

7.Elsabeth Black (CAN) 13.533

8. Ana Padurariu (CAN) 13.500

Floor qualification results:

1. Simone Biles (USA) 14.833

2. Sunisa Lee (USA) 14.200

3. Angelina Melnikova (RUS) 14.100

4. Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos (FRA) 13.966

5. Liliia Akhaimova (RUS) 13.933

6. Flavia Saraiva (BRA) 13.833

7. Roxana Popa (ESP) 13.800

8. Nina Derwael (BEL) 13.600

You can find the complete results here.

Tomorrow the Belgian men will also try to qualify as a team for the Tokyo Olympics. They start at 13.00 on pommel horse. The competition can be followed live on Sporza. 

2019 World Championships: Solid qualification round for Team Belgium.

Friday morning, the Belgian girls competed in the qualifications at the World Championships in Stuttgart, the qualifying competition for teams and individual all-around gymnasts for Tokyo 2020. The Belgian Red Eagles were pretty solid and scored 161.238.  

Maellyse Brassart opened the competition for team Belgium, with a high piked full-in. She scored 12.766. Margaux Daveloose received 13.366  for a great routine, while Nina Derwael scored 13.600. Jade Vansteenkiste opened with a strong triple twist but unfortunaly fell on a front twist later on. Her score of 12.200 was dropped. 

On vault, all the girls but Jade showed a Yurchenko with a full twist. Nina, Senna and Maellyse scored 13.500, 13.566 and 13.600. Jade performed a Yurchenko with 1 1/2 twist and scored 14.100.

The Red Eagles came to full strenght on uneven bars. They impressed with 4 clean routines. Maellyse scored 13.133,  Margaux  did a tiny bit better with her 13.166.  Senna added a strong 13.733 to the team total. Nina did her job confidently and scored 15.141. 

On beam, Nina was the first up. She had  a few wobbles but still scored 13.200, the highest score on beam for Team Belgium. Margaux kept a cool head on beam and added 12.900 to the team total. Team captain Senna finished the job for the team, with a 12.200. 

Overall the girls were happy with their performance. They did their job and have to wait now to see if it was enough for an Olympic team qualification. 

You can follow the scores here. 

EYOF 2019: 8th place for Victor Martinez in the vault final!

Today the gymnasts fought for the last medals at the European Youth Olympic Festival in Baku. Victor Martinez competed in the vault final. 

Victor was the 7th gymnast to compete in the vault final. He qualified in 5th place. To fight for the medals, he had to show more difficult vaults than in qualifications. Victor and his coach Gilles Gentges decided to go for it.  Unfortunately Victor fell on his first vault and also had to put his hand down on his second vault. He scored 12.783 and finished 8th.

It was Victor's very first final at this level and he gained a lot of valuable experience.  Earlier this week he finished 12th in the all-around final.

Results Vault final men:

1. Raekwon Baptiste (GBR) 13.983

2. Robert Burtanete (ROM) 13.933

3. Gabriel Burtanete (ROM) 13.833

4. Nazar Chepurnyi (UKR) 13.716

5. Sam Mostowfi (GBR) 13.433

6. Jorge Campana (ESP) 13.033

7. Ivan Kuliak (RUS) 12.849

8. Victor Martinez (BEL) 12.783

You can find the results of the other finals below:

Result parallel bars final:

1. Illia Kovtun (UKR) 14.600

2. Volodymyr Kostiuk (UKR) 14.300

3. Krisztian Balazs (HUN) 13.566

4. Robert Burtanete (ROU) 13.533

5. Pascal Brendel (GER) 13.266

6. Lucas Desanges (FRA) 13.033

7. Ivan Kuliak (RUS) 12.233

8. Mukhammadzhon Iakubov (RUS) 11.466

Result high bar final:

1. Illia Kovtun (UKR) 13.366

2. Lucas Desanges (FRA) 13.233

3. Ivan Brunello (ITA) 13.200

4. Mukhammadzhon Iakubov (RUS) 13.166

5. Ivan Kuliak (RUS) 12.900

6. Lorenzo Bonicelli (ITA) 12.800

7. Krisztian Balazs (HUN) 11.733

8. Kacper Garnczarek (POL) 11.333

Result Beam final:

1. Ondine Achampong (GBR) 13.666

2. Silviana Sfiringu (ROM) 13.366

3. Clarisse Passeron (FRA) 13.000

4. Halle Hilton (GBR) 12.900

5. Veronica Mandriota (ITA) 12.733

6. Micol Minotti (ITA) 12.633

7. Viktoriia Listunova (RUS) 12.633

8. Alizée Letrange-Mouakit (FRA) 11.600

Result Floor Final women:

1. Vitkoriia Listunova (RUS) 14.066

2. Ioana Stanciulescu (ROU) 13.633

3. Silviana Sfiringu (ROU) 13.400

4. Iana Vorona (RUS) 13.366

5. Micol Minotti (ITA) 12.933

6. Julia Birck (GER) 12.766

7. Veronica Mandriota (ITA) 12.766

8. Alizée Letrange-Mouakit (FRA) 12.266