European championships 2023: two medals for Team Belgium!

The first day of apparatus finals at the European championships in Antalya was historical for Team Belgium. Maxime Gentges is the first Belgian male athlete to win a medal at European championships. Lisa Vaelen won the bronze medal on vault. 

Lisa Vaelen opened the vault final. She performed her Rudi vault but stepped out of bounds on the reception. She scored 14.033, less than she had dreamed. She scored 13.133 for her tsukahara with full twist. Her average score of 13.583 was just a tiny bit lower than her qualification score. It was a nervrewrecking wait to see if her score was good enough for a medal.  Favourite for the gold Coline Devillard from France did not dissapoint. She scored 13.800. Asia D'Amato from Italy jumped over Lisa with an average score of 13.600. Romanian youngster Sabrina Voinea-Maneca second vault was devaluated and couldn't threaten Lisa for the bronze medal. 

Maxime Gentges was the history maker of the day. He dreamed of competing in a pommel horse final at this level. He forfilled his dream by qualifying but he wanted more. He wanted to fight for a medal. And that's what he did. He performed cleanly and won the silver medal with a score of 14.566. Ireland's Rhys Mc Clenaghan won the gold medal with 14.666. Armenian Artur Davtyan won the bronze with a score of 14.266. 

After winning her first European medal, Lisa also finished 7th in the uneven bars final. Alice D'Amato from Italy won the gold medal. British gymnastics heroe Becky Downie won the silver medal and Eli Seitz from Germany finished third. 

Vault final results:

1. Coline DEVILLARD FRA 13.800

2. Asia D'AMATO ITA 13.600

3. Lisa VAELEN BEL 13.583

4. Sabrina VOINEA-MANECA ROU 13.083

5. Bilge TARHAN TUR 12.816

6. Ceren BENER TUR 12.766

7. Athanasia MESIRI GRE 12.750

8. Camille RASMUSSEN DEN 12.249

Pommel horse final results:

1. Rhys MC CLENAGHAN IRE 14.666

2. Maxime GENTGES BEL 14.566

3. Artur DAVTYAN ARM 14.266

4. Loran DE MUNCK NED 14.266

5. Illia KOVTUN UKR 14.233

6. Yumin ABBADINI ITA 14.166

7. Radomir SLIZ CZE 13.600

8. Matvei PETROV ALB 13.266

Uneven bars final results:

1. Alice D'AMATO ITA 14.466

2. Becky DOWNIE GBR 14.233

3. Eli SEITZ GER 14.200

4. Giorgia VILLA ITA 14.066

5. Zsofia KOVACS HUN 13.933

6. Zoja SZEKELY HUN 13.833

7. Lisa VAELEN BEL 13.733

8. Naomi VISSER NED 11.800

Tomorrrow the last apparatus finals will be held. Fien Enghels qualified for the balance beam final. After a few reserve spots she finally gets her chance to compete in a European final. The finals start at 12 o' clock Belgian time.