Strong perfomances from GB junior gymnasts

Great Britain's junior gymnasts have had a strong start at the European Championships in Brussels. Competing in the first subdivision of the team competition/ qualifying for the all around and event finals. Strong all around performances from Gabrielle Jupp, Charlie Fellows and Angel Romaeo helped the team to a 4th place finish, less than a point behind bronze medallists Romania.


(Photograph by Alan Edwards, BG media team
L-R: Raer Thaeker, Gabby Jupp, Charlie Fellows, Angel Romaeo, Georgina Hockenhull)

Results
Team
1. Russia (167.330)
2. Italy (164.031
3. Romania (161.037)
4. Great Britain (160.121)
5. Germany (157.872)

All-around
1. Maria Kharenkova, Russia (56.132)
2. Elisa Meneghini, Italy (55.433)
3. Evgeniya Shelgunova, Russia (55.165)
4. Andreea Munteanu, Romania (54.665)
5. Sophie Schneder, Germany (54.240)
6. Enus Mariani, Italy (54.199)
7. Gabrielle Jupp, GB (54.082)
8. Tea Ugrin, Italy (54.066)
9. Eythora Thorsdottir, Netherlands (53.232)
10. Noemi Makra, Hungary 53.015
11. Angel Romaeo, 52.932


Gabrielle Jupp qualified in 2nd to the beam final. Charlie Fellows is 1st reserve for bars and both girls made the floor final. Jupp and Angel Romaeo will represent GB in the all-around final on Friday.
Russia were expectedly dominant, but the strength and consistency of the Italian juniors surprised many and may be a sign of great things to come from Italy in the next quad.


Also today,  Ellie Downie (Becky Downie's 12 year old sister) had a clean sweep at the UK School Games in London. She took the overall title with 53.200 ahead of team mates Tyesha Mattis (50.300) and Amy Tinkler (50.250). Ellie won the vault(13.850), the bars(13.050) the floor (12.950) and shared the beam title with Catherine Lyons also from England (13.350).

In the girls team event the team from England again took the title with a total of 204.250 ahead of Wales in second 188.900, Northern Ireland in third 131.100 and Scotland in fourth 77.450.

All of the gymnasts mentioned here are too young for London 2012 but are eligible or the 2016 olympics in Rio. The future of GB gymnastics looks very promising indeed!