Doha World Cup: Gold on bars and silver on beam for Nina!

Event finals took place on Friday and Saturday in the Aspire Dome in Doha. Nina confirmed her status of reigning world uneven bars champion by winning the gold. She also added a silver on beam to her collection.

Credit: Doha Artistic Gymnastics - Qatar

Nina was third up on the uneven bars. She confidently performed the same exercise she showed at the World Championships last year in the very same arena. She scored 15.033. Her main opponent, the 2017 World Champion Fan Yilin from China was up right after her. Fan showed a 6.5 routine, the same level of difficulty as Nina,  but her execution couldn't match the Belgian's. She won the silver with 14.933. Russia's Anastasiia Iliankova won the bronze with 14.700 (6.3D). 

Uneven bars final results:
1. Nina Derwael (BEL) 15.033

2. Fan Yilin (CHN) 14.933

3. Anastasiia Iliankova (RUS) 14.700

4. Jonna Adlerteg (SWE) 14.216

5. Kim Bui (GER) 14.000

6. Martina Rizzelli (ITA) 13.016

7. Yumika Nakamura (JPN) 12.933

8. Diana Varinska (UKR) 12.400

Credit: Doha Artistic Gymnastics -Qatar

Let's not forget the amazing performance of Jonathan Vrolix, who was also competing on Friday. He impressively qualified for his first ever World Cup final in 3rd place with 14.500 thanks to his excellent execution. In the final however he could not repeat his qualifications performance. With 14.033, he placed 6th.

His qualification results gives high hopes for the future and shows Jonathan belongs among the world's best gymnasts on floor. Alexander Shatilov from Israel won the gold, ahead of Rayderley Zapata from Spain and Carlos Edriel Yulo from the Philippines. 

Floor final results:
1. Alexander Shatilov (ISR) 14.633

2. Rayderley Zapata (ESP) 14.433

3. Carlos Edriel Yulo (PHI) 14.266

4. Emil Soravuo (FIN) 14.233

5. Ahmet Onder (TUR) 14.233

6. Jonathan Vrolix (BEL) 14.033

7. Xiao Ruoteng (CHN) 13.166

8. Chris Remkes (AUS) 4.566

On Saturday, Nina was first up on beam. She performed very confidently and even improved her qualification score by 1 tenth (13.633). The Chinese Li Qi showed impressive combinations of leaps and acrobatic elements. She was unbeatable with a 6.0 D-score and strong execution. She scored 14.333. Marine Boyer from France won the bronze medal with 13.333. 

Balance beam final results:

1. Li Qi (CHN) 14.333
2. Nina Derwael (BEL) 13.633

3. Marine Boyer (FRA) 13.333

4. Adela Sajn (SLO) 12.833

5. Aneta Holasova (CZE) 12.800

6. Hua-Tien Ting (TPE) 12.400 

7. Yumika Nakamura (JPN)11.800  

8. Soyoka Hanawa (JPN) 11.466

Full results

World Cup Doha 2019: 3 finals for Team Belgium!

This week, Doha welcomes the Apparatus World Cup series, the 4th of 8th qualifying World Cups for Tokyo 2020. The Belgian gymnasts qualified for 3 finals with impressive results! 

3 gymnasts represented Team Belgium in this World Cup: Dennis Goossens competed on still rings and Jonathan Vrolix on floor, pommel horse and high bar. Nina Derwael competed on uneven bars and balance beam. 

In her first competition of the year, Nina Derwael did not disappoint. She topped the uneven bars standings with 15.033 and will be the gymnast to beat for the gold on Friday. 

Jonathan Vrolix showed impressive work on floor. He opened with a double twist forward immediately followed by a double tuck forward and showed great form overall. He received the highest execution score in an impressive field. He placed 3rd and qualifies for his first World Cup final. Jonathan also competed on pommel horse, where he scored 12.866 (32th).

Dennis Goossens competed on still rings. He was not at the top of his game and finished 16th with a score of 13.966.

On thursday, Nina was the first to go on beam. She did an excellent job and set the bar for the other competitors with a score of 13.566. No one was able to beat that score during the qualifications. 

Jonathan also competed also on high bar. He finished 25th with 12.100.

Nina and Jonathan will compete on Friday at 2pm (Belgian time). On Saturday Nina will compete at 2pm in the beam final.

MAG Qualification results:

Floor

1. Carlos Edriel Yulo (PHI) 14.600

2. Xiao Ruoteng (CHN) 14.533

3. Jonathan Vrolix (BEL) 14.500

Pommel horse

1. Lee Chih Kai (TPE) 15.166

2. Harutyun Merdinyan (ARM) 14.966

3. Kohei Kameyama (JPN) 14.916

...

32. Jonathan Vrolix (BEL) 12.866

Still rings

1. Lan Xingyu (CHN) 15.166

2. Vahagn Davtyan (ARM) 14.908

3. Artur Tovmasyan (ARM) 14.866

...

16. Dennis Goossens (BEL) 13.966

Horizontal bar

1. Tin Srbic (CRO) 14.333

2. Milad Karimi (KAZ) 14.300

3. Alexey Rostov (RUS) 14.133

...

25. Jonathan Vrolix (BEL) 12.100

WAG Qualifications results

Uneven bars

1. Nina Derwael (BEL ) 15.033

2. Fan Yilin (CHN) 14.900

3. Anastasiia Iliankova (RUS) 14.633

Balance beam

1. Nina Derwael (BEL) 13.566

2. Marine Boyer (FRA) 13.366

3. Li Qi (CHN) 13.300

Full results

Great results for our WAG teams in Jesolo and Canada !

The past few weeks saw both our Juniors and Seniors WAG teams travel abroad for international competitions : the Trofeo Città Jesolo and the International Gymnix!

Credit : International Gymnix

On 2-3 March, Stacy Bertrandt, Noémie Louon, Lisa Vaelen and Jutta Verkest represented Belgium in Italy for the Trofeo Città Jesolo. They achieved amazing results, placing 3rd as a team (152.734), behind Russia (165.234) and the United States (163.899).

Individually, the all-around final was won by USA's Konor McClain (56.167), followed by Vladislava Urazova (Russia, 55.200) and Elena Gerasimova (Russia, 55.000). Noémie Louon was the best Belgian, with a total score of 51.601 for the 11th place. Stacy placed 15th (50.133), Lisa placed 19th (49.633) and Jutta was 26th with 47.666.

Noémie qualified for the uneven bars final and placed 4th with 13.700, just 0.050 from the bronze medal. Stacy competed in the balance beam final but unfortunately fell. She placed 8th, with 11.450.

Credit : Simone Ferraro/FGI

Last week-end, several Juniors and Seniors gymnasts traveled to Montreal, Canada for the 2019 edition of the International Gymnix.

Juniors Stacy Bertrandt, Noémie Louon, Charlotte Beydts and Jutta Verkest competed as a team. Maellyse Brassart, Fien Enghels and Jade Vansteenkiste composed the Seniors team.

Calisse Kums competed as an individual in the Challenge Gymnix. She placed 24th with 45.283.

Our Juniors did a fantastic job by placing 2nd in the team competition, with 154.530. The United States won the gold medal (159.463) and Canada won the bronze medal (154.463). Noémie Louon was once again the most solid among the Belgians. With 52.432, she placed 4th. Stacy Bertrandt earned 50.999 and placed 6th. Jutta got 50.032 for the 8th place, while Charlotte got a total score of 48.265 for the 15th place.

They also qualified for several individual finals, where Noémie proved she was in great shape, earning 3 medals, including one gold. On floor, Noémie presented a beautiful exercise, for which she received 12.966, enough for the bronze medal. She placed right ahead of Jutta Verkest, who placed 4th with 12.933.

Noémie then won another bronze medal in the uneven bars final, with a great 13.400, devancing once again another of her teammates, this time Stacy Bertrandt, in 4th with 13.200. On beam, Stacy unfortunately fell twice, scoring 10.600. Noémie closed her already fantastic day with a stellar routine on beam, for which she earned a 13.200, winning the gold medal !

Credit : International Gymnix

Our Seniors team placed 6th in the team competition with 138.662. Sadly, Margaux Daveloose got injured shortly before the competition and couldn't compete. Fien Enghels also couldn't compete on vault, meaning the team was a score vault short. Nevertheless, they achieved a pretty good result. The team final was won by the United States (165.261) ahead of Canada (155.196) and Australia (154.963).

Individually, Maellyse placed 10th in the all-around, with 51.565. Jade Vansteenkiste got 47.865 for the 19th place. Fien qualified for the uneven bars and balance beam finals. She placed 6th on beam with 11.633, after falling off the beam. On bars, she placed 7th with 12.100, just ahead of Maellyse, who finished in 8th place with 11.700. On floor, Maellyse scored 12.400 and placed 6th.

Next weekend, our MAG team will compete at the DTB-Pokal Team Challenge in Stuttgart. The team will be announced in the coming days. Also next weekend, Jonathan Vrolix and Dennis Goossens will compete at the Baku World Cup. They will then travel to Doha, where they'll be joined by Nina Derwael.

Trofeo Città Jesolo results : click here

International Gymnix results : click here

International successes for our gymnasts !

November has been quite a busy month for both our Juniors and Seniors gymnasts, as they took part in several international meets.

Credit : An Vanderstraeten

Combs-La-Ville - 10-11 November

Kéziah Langendock (Gym Passion Herseaux), Jutta Verkest (Gymflex), Margaux Dandois (Oefening geeft kracht Duffel), Calisse Kums (TK Sta Paraat Hasselt), Charlotte Beydts (TK Sta Paraat Hasselt) and Joey Van Broeckhoven (Silok Deurne) traveled to France for the Tournoi International de Combs-La-Ville, a competition that gathered Youth and Juniors gymnasts.

The team composed of Kéziah, Jutta and Calisse took the bronze medal with 100.550. Italy won the gold (101.600) and France took the silver (101.167). Individually, Jutta got the best ranking, placing 4th with 50.267. In the event finals, Jutta won silver on bars, with Kéziah taking the bronze. On beam, Calisse got the gold medal. 

Full results here

Gympies Gymnova Cup - 10-11 November

The same weekend, De Gympies Keerbergen welcomed gymnasts from all over the world for its Gympies Gymnova Cup, gathering Youth, Juniors ans Seniors gymnasts. Lisa Vaelen brought home the gold in the Juniors category, with 50.233, ahead of teammate Cato Fleurackers (48.133). Lisa went on to win three more medals in the event finals: silver on beam (12.050) and floor (12.350), and gold on vault (13.550). Cato won gold on bars (12.450).

Full results here

Pictures here

Elite Gym Massilia - 16-18 November

Noémie Louon (Turnclub Varsenare), Jade Vansteenkiste (Gym Izegem), Margaux Daveloose (Turnclub Varsenare) and Julie Vandamme (Turnclub Varsenare) represented Belgium at the Elite Gym Massilia in Marseille (France).

Stacy Bertrandt competed alongside the team from Pôle France Marseille in the Open Massilia. She got a total score of 50.683 and placed 4th in the all-around as well as 4th in the team competition. In the Master competition, the girls got 149.550 for the bronze medal. Margaux got the best score with 49.900 and placed 8th. She also got 13.300 on bars and placed 2nd !

Full results here

Swiss Cup Juniors - 16th November

Our boys were also in action this month. Nicola and Glen Cuyle (Gym Izegem), Victor Martinez, Wout De Smedt (GC Malmedy) and Bram Vanmullen Olympia Houthalen) traveled to Zurich for a friendly meet against teams from Ukraine, Italy and Switzerland. With 224.700, they placed 4th in the team competition. Individually, Nicola Cuyle was the best Belgian, with 75.200 and the 4th place.

Full results here

Turnier der Meister - 22-25 November

Nina Derwael (TK Sta Paraat Hasselt) and Axelle Klinckaert (GymMax) were in Cottbus this past week, in the first of 8 World Cups qualifiers for the 2020 Olympic Games. Gymnasts have to compete in at least 3 World Cups between 2018 and 2020 in order to gain points. In the end of the World Cup series, the winner on each apparatus gets an individual spot for the Olympics.

Nina started this journey really well, placing 1st on bars with another stellar performance (15.100). Axelle Klinckaert qualified for the floor final but struggled a bit. She placed 7th with 12.900.

Full results here

Top Gym - 24-25 November

6 Belgian gymnasts competed at the Top Gym in Charleroi. Kéziah Langendock and Jutta Verkest were part of the FRBG team, Cassia Priels and Iliona Miloto represented the Gymnos Charleroi and Cato Fleurackers and Lisa Vaelen represented the Gympies Keerbergen.

Kéziah and Jutta, along with the team from Great Britain, won the team competition. Lisa and Cato, associated with Panama, won the bronze. Individually, Lisa Vaelen became the 2nd Belgian gymnast to win the all-around title (Axelle Klinckaert was the first in 2015), with 51.266. She also won the bronze medal on vault and floor, while Cato and Jutta tied for the bars title.

Full results here 

Pictures here

Worlds 2018: 4th place for Nina Derwael on beam!

On saturday, Nina Derwael concluded her World Championships with a 4th place on beam. 

Credit: Belgian Gymnastics

In a final full of wobbles and mistakes, China's Liu Tingting won the gold. She delivered a nearly perfect routine for a score of 14.533. The runner-up, Ana Padurariu from Canada, controlled her nerves very well in her first World Final and scored 14.100. Simone Biles was third with a score of 13.600. She wobbled her way through her routine but managed to stay on. 

Nina Derwael increased her difficulty for the final. She started with a beautiful layout step out and displayed great elegancy. Unfortunately she wobbled on her side somi. She scored 13.466 and finished 4th. 

Olympic champion Sanne Wevers from the Netherlands and American talent Kara Eaker both fell and were out of the medal hunt. 

You can rewatch Nina's routine here.

Beam final results:

1. Liu Tingting (CHN) 14.533

2. Ana Padarariu (CAN) 14.100

3. Simone Biles (USA) 13.600

4. Nina Derwael (BEL) 13.466

5. Elsabeth Black (CAN) 13.033

6. Kara Eaker (USA) 12.833

7. Sanne Wevers (NED) 12.666

8. Zhang Jin (CHN) 11.500

4 more finals were scheduled on saturday. The male vaulters opened the final day of competition in Doha. North-Korean Ri Se Gwang won the competition thanks to his higher difficulty level on both vaults. Russian Artur Dalaloyan won the silver, Kenzo Shirai from Japan the bronze. 

On parallel bars Zou Jingyuan from China displayed great difficulty and execution to win the gold medal. Oleg Verniaiev from Ukraine won the silver while Artur Dalaloyan from the Russian Federation won yet another bronze medal. 

Simone Biles won her 14th World title on floor. Her teammate Morgan Hurd was second and Japan's Mai Murakami completed the podium. 

The last final of the day was the most spectacular one: men's high bar. Flying Dutch doctor Epke Zonderland won this final. Kohei Uchimara from Japan ended up second and American Samuel Mikulak was third. 

You can find all results here. 

2018 Worlds : Historical gold medal for Nina Derwael on the uneven bars !

In the space of a year and a half, Nina Derwael won two European title, a World bronze medal and a World title! In the final today, she was untouchable and won the gold with 15.200.

Amazing, unreal, historical, unbelievable. There are not enough words in the world to describe what Nina Derwael achieved today.

Heavy favorite for the uneven bars gold, the title was hers to lose. But she delivered under the pressure, once again. The last time Nina missed a uneven bars routine in competition was at the European Championships qualifications in 2016. Not only has she become one of the best bars workers in the world, she's only one of the most consistent. 

Today, she made history once again. She became the first Belgian gymnast, male or female, to win a World Championship title EVER. Her bronze medal last year was the first medal for a Belgian female gymnast, and the first medal for Belgium in more than a hundred years. Her result back then was already historical. But today's performance was even more.

With a massive 15.200, Nina placed 1st with a 0.5 lead over the silver medallist, Simone Biles (14.700). Germany's Elisabeth Seitz took the bronze (14.600). 

Watch her routine here

Uneven bars final:

1. Nina Derwael (BEL) 15.200

2. Simone Biles (USA) 14.700

3. Elisabeth Seitz (GER) 14.600

4. Luo Huan (CHN) 14.500

5. Aliya Mustafina (RUS) 14.433

6. Morgan Hurd (USA) 14.433

7. Becky Downie (GBR) 13.333

8. Jonna Adlerteg (SWE) 13.166

History was made in the other finals too. Simone Biles won her very first World Championships vault title, making that her 13th World gold medals overall. This is more than any gymnast, male or female. She scored 15.366 and placed ahead of Shallon Olsen from Canada (14.516) and Mexico's Alexa Moreno (14.508), who won the first world medal for her country.

On the men's side, Carlos Edriel Yulo from the Philippines won a historic bronze medal on floor for his country with 14.600. Russia's Artur Dalaloyan won the title (14.900) ahead of Kenzo Shirai (Japan, 14.866). 

Xiao Ruoteng (China) and Max Whitlock (Great Britain) tied for first on the pommel horse final with 15.166. Xiao already lost a tie break in the all-around final, when he tied for first with Dalaloyan. That day, he had to leave the arena with the silver. But not today. Thanks to a cleaner execution, he got away with the gold medal. Taipei's Lee Chih Kai got the bronze (14.966). It's only the scond medal for Taipei after a bronze on vault at the 1993 World Championships.

On rings, Eleftherios Petrounias once again won the gold medal. The Greek is the undisputed Lord of the Rings and has not been defeated since 2015. Today, he scored 15.366. Brazil's Arthur Zanetti, the 2012 Olympic Champion on that event, got the silver medal (15.100) and Italy's Marco Lodadio earned the bronze (14.900).

Tomorrow will be the final day of competition in Doha. Nina Derwael will be in the balance beam final around 14:30 !

Find all the results here.

2018 Worlds: Historical 4th place for Nina Derwael!

This afternoon Nina Derwael and Axelle Klinckaert competed in the all around final. Axelle hoped to improve her ranking from the qualifications and she did by finishing 18th. Nina Derwael once again wrote Belgian gymnastics history by finishing 4th. Simone Biles won the world title for the 4th time.

Credit: Alkass

Nina started her competition together with the other top qualifiers on vault.  She scored 13.566 for her Yurchenko with full twist. Axelle started on floor. A missed pirouette and some landings deductions got her a 12.800.

In the second rotation, Axelle moved on the vault where she showed a great full twisting Yurchenko. She got 13.700. Nina outclassed the field with her excellent routine on bars. With 15.100, she got the highest score of the competition and jumped from 10th to 3rd in the ranking!

Nina seemed unstoppable and performed confidentely on beam. She scored 13.733 and moved into 2nd place after the 3rd rotation. Axelle improved her qualifying score on bars with a 13.066.

Axelle was first up on beam but unfortunately fell on her mount. She scored 12.266. Nina was stunning on floor. She amazed the world with her expressive choreography and elegance but lacked a bit of difficulty. She nevertheless scored 13.300 and an all around total of 55.699, her personal best! Axelle scored 51.832 and finished 18th. 

Axelle, well on her way back from the knee injury that kept her out of training and competition for more than a year, improved her ranking from qualifications, moving from the 24th to the 18th place. She said later in the mixed zone that the mistakes motivate her to work even harder! 

Nina once gain wrote history. With a new personal total, she finished just 0.033 away from the bronze medal. Nothing to be disapointed about, she gave everything she could and can be really proud of herself. Only 10 years ago, Belgian gymfans were happy when girls qualified for the finals. Now they are fighting for the medals! 

Credit: Marjorie Heuls

Simone Biles, who had uncharacteristic mistakes and fell twice, took the all around title for the 4th time. This is also her 12th Worlds medal. She became the first woman to won the all around 4 times. Mai Murakami from Japan won the silver medal, while Morgan Hurd (USA), the 2017 all around champion, took the bronze.

All around rankings:

1. Simone Biles (USA) 57.491

2. Mai Murakami (JPN) 55.798

3. Morgan Hurd (USA) 55.732

4. Nina Derwael (BEL) 55.699

5. Angelina Melnikova (RUS) 55.698

6. Melanie De Jesus Dos Santos (FRA) 55.599

7. Chen Yile (CHN) 54.632

8. Flavia Saraiva (BRA) 54.366

...

18. Axelle Klinckaert (BEL) 51.832

You can find the full results here.

Tomorrow all eyes will be on Nina, who will fight for the gold on uneven bars. She'll compete around 16:00 Belgian time. The finals will be broadcasted live on Sporza.