GB vs Spain vs Portugal

In the run-up to worlds, the whole GB senior team are to compete in two international events, to aid the powers-that-be select the 6 member world team. The first of those events, a tri-meet between GB, Spain and Portugal took place today at Pipers Vale Gymnastics in Ipswich.

GB fielded two teams in order to allow all senior gymnasts to compete. Team GB 1 (Hannah Whelan, Jenni Pinches, Charlotte Lindsley, Niamh Rippin, Jocelyn Hunt & Lizzie Beddoe) took part in the team competition whilst GB 2 (Beth Tweddle, Danusia Francis, Becky Downie, Imogen Cairns, Kelly Simm, Laura Mitchell & Laura Edwards) competed on indidual events only for event final qualification or simply for verification.

Rather like the US nationals, there were plenty of errors from the GB girls, allowing Spain (Ana Maria Izurieta, Ainhoa Carmona Urbano, Maria Paula Vargas, Beatriz Cuesta, Claudia Menendez, Claudia Vila & Silvia Colussi) to squeak in and take the team gold. Granted, Team GB 1 was not the team we are likely to see at worlds, but really, they should have walked this!


1) Spain - 217.750 
2) GB 1 - 216.500
3) GB 2 - 193.750
4) Portugal - 137.950

Team Portugal (Zoi Lima, Alexandra Choon & Ekaterina Kislinskaya) could not contend the team competition, as it was a 6-5-4 competition format and they only had 3 gymnasts, but they performed well enough and gained experience. It will be a big ask for this team to qualify to London 2012, Portugal was 32nd at the 2010 worlds (Spain 18th and GB 5th in qualifying, 8th in team finals).

In some level of redemption for the GB team, Hannah Whelan posted a very respectable score of 56.000 to win the all-around gold. Hannah had a few minor errors (out of bounds on floor, a dodgy beam dismount) but nothing very major. She is GB's best AA hope for worlds and on a good day could place in the worlds top 10. Jenni Pinches was a bit more mistake riddden, with a fall on beam.

AA Results.

1) Hannah Whelan (GB) - 56.000
2) Maria Paula Vargas (ESP) - 54.500
3) Beatriz Cuesta (ESP)- 53.850
4) Jenni Pinches (GB) - 53.600
5) Claudia Menendez (ESP) - 53.250
6) Silvia Palaez Coulussi (ESP) - 53.000
7) Jocelyn Hunt (GB) - 52.850
8) Ana Maria Izurieta (ESP) - 52.750
9) Lizzie Beddoe (GB) - 52.550
10= Claudia Vila (ESP) - 52.200
10= Laura Edwards (GB) 52.200


Beth Tweddle competed in the GB 2 team and only performed on floor. She had taping on her neck + shoulder so likely avoided doing bars to protect an injury. Danusia Francis also was taped up at the shoulder and conpeted a watered down competition (she performed her floor routine without tumbling, but had some of the best artistic choreography of the day).   

Becky Downie was also testing the water again following her achilles injury. She cometed solid beam and bars routines with watered-down dismounts. I'd be surprised to see her in Tokyo, but her recovery is coming on well with London 2012 in mind. It's good to see her out on the floor again. A pleasant surprise of the meet was Lizzie Beddoe. She doesn't have the most difficult gymnastics, but showed some beatiful elegant work on beam and floor especially.

Event Finals take place tomorrow and in a slightly prescribed format, each final will have 3 gymnasts from GB, 3 from Spain and 1 from Portugal.

Here were the top scores on each apparatus from today.

Vault (Each gymnast only competed 1 vault)
1) Claudia Menendez (ESP) 14.600
2) Imogen Cairns (GB) 14.550
3) Hannah Whelan (GB) 14.350

Bars 
1) Hannah Whelan (GB) 14.000 
2= Beatriz Cuesta (ESP) 13.850
2= Maria Paula Vargas (ESP) 13.850
4) Jennifer Pinches (GB) 13.750

Beam
1) Hannah Whelan (GB) 13.950
2) Silvia Palaez Colussi (ESP) 13.350
3) Jocelyn Hunt (GB) 13.300

Floor
1) Beth Tweddle (GB) 14.750
2) Niamh Rippin (GB) 13.750
3) Hannah Whelan (GB) 13.700

Click here to see many more photos from the event.
Full Results (British Gymnastics)

Things didn't get much better for GB in the event finals - granted the coaches decided to rest Hannah Whelan and Beth Tweddle from all events and give other gymnasts the experience. Spain came away with all the gold. 

Vault
Gold - Claudia Menendez (ESP) 14.300
Silver- Imogen Cairns (GBR) 14.100
Bronze- Niamh Rippin (GBR) 13.700

Bars
Gold – Ma Paula Vargas (ESP) 14.000
Silver- Beatriz Cuesta (ESP) 13.750
Silver- Claudia Vila (ESP) 13.750

Beam
Gold - Ainhoa Carmona (ESP) 13.250
Silver- Ana Maria Izurieta (ESP) 13.050
Bronze- Laura Edwards (GBR) 13.000

Floor
Gold - Claudia Menendez (ESP) 13.800
Silver- Ma Paula Vargas (ESP) 13.700
Bronze- Imogen Cairns (GBR) 13.650

The GB girls will be boarding a plane on Tuesday evening to compete in the Romanian national championships in Oneti (Nadia's home town). Hopefully this will give us a more promising measure of how they are likely to compete on the world level.