The 2016 Olympic Games preview part. 2 : Team BelGYM wants to shine in Rio

After the preview about Dennis Goossens yesterday, it is now time to have a look at our Women's team and what the girls can achieve in Rio!

Credit: Rune Hermans

Yves Kieffer has told this many times : Belgium is not in Rio to just "be there". The team wants to prove its qualificiation wasn't a fluke and that they are now a force to be reckoned with. The injury of Axelle Klinckaert, a few weeks prior to the Games, was a blow for the Belgian team, but the country can count on its great other gymnasts, and Rune Hermans, usually not in an alternate position, stepped in. Her back pain seems to be gone, and she's ready to take her responsabilities and prove what she can do.

The team, composed of Nina Derwael, Gaelle Mys, Senna Deriks, Laura Waem and Rune Hermans, will start the competition on the uneven bars, in the very first subdivision (out of five) on Sunday. They will compete alongside the team from China and individual gymnasts such as gymnastics's legend Oksana Chusovitina, Australia's Larrissa Miller and 2008 vault Olympic champion Hong Un-Jong. Starting in the first subdivision, on their best event might be a disadvantage, as the first gymnasts to compete usually score lower than the ones in the later subdivisions. Nevertheless, our young team will definitely show all their great skills and try to score as high as possible.

Credit: Nina Derwael

Reaching the top 8 as a team will be really hard for Belgium and it will take a flawless performance from them to get close. Our gymnasts have their podium training this Thursday and the coaches will have to determine the line up for the team qualifications. With 5 all-arounders, close to each others in terms of scoring potential, Yves Kieffer and Marjorie Heuls will have to find the perfect combination of strenghts, skills and execution to present the best possible team.

Here is my line up prediction:

Vault : Derwael, Deriks, Mys, Hermans

Uneven bars: Hermans, Deriks, Waem, Derwael

Balance beam: Hermans, Derwael, Waem, Mys

Floor exercise: Waem, Derwael, Hermans, Mys

According to Sporza, Nina Derwael and Rune Hermans will be the two gymnasts trying to qualify for the all-around final. It is probable that Laura won't do vault and that Gaelle won't do bars, as those are their weakest event. Senna should cover those spots. But time (and start lists) will tell.

Belgium's best chance of a final will be in the all-around, where the country can hope to qualify two of its representatives, Nina and Rune. A hit performance on the uneven bars from Nina Derwael could potentially get her in the final too, as her bars set has a degree of difficulty of 6.6 and she is really clean on that event.

Credit: GymFed

Team Belgium's schedule (Belgian time):

* Sunday 07/08 - Qualifications

Subdivision 1: 14:45-16:15 (Belgium will start on uneven bars)

Subdivision 2: 16:30-18:00

Subdivision 3: 19:30-21:00

Subdivision 4: 22:30-00:00

Subdivision 5: 01:30-03:00 (during the night on Monday)

* Tuesday 09/08 - Team final: 21:00-22:55

* Thursday 11/08 - All-around final: 21:00-22:55

* Sunday 14/08 - Uneven Bars final: 19:00-22:00

Coverage:

As said yesterday, Belgium TV should broadcast the qualifications. RTBF (French) and Sporza (Dutch) have the rights for Belgium. If the qualifications are not shown on TV, I've been told it would be on the RTBF website. I'll make sure to keep you updated on a link. I will of course follow the competition and give you updates all day long on how our Team performed and will give you scores and rankings updates through Facebook and Twitter ! Stay tuned and good luck ladies!

Don't want to watch gymnastics alone? No problem! During the Olympic Games, Ostende welcomes the Rio House. And gymnastics will be shown on Sunday! More infos here

De Gympies Keerbergen, Gym Haacht and Gymgroep AS gym clubs are also hosting an event. More infos on the pic below

Full schedule here