Otherwise known as the Olympic Test Event, this competition attracted a number of competitors from around the world (unfortunately no Russian gymnasts). A rhythmic and a trampoline competition were held concurrently with the artistic event. This report concerns the women's all around competition. Twelve Australian gymnasts competed (in PINK), not only for the AA title, but the scores achieved here would be added to the scores they received at the Australian Championships, Senior International Division, to determine their national ranking.

Pre competition favourites were Romania's Andrea Isarescu, China's Kui Yuan Yuan (making a comeback), Ukraine's Natalia Gorodni, but Allana Slater, the new Australian champion, could not be discounted.

In the end, however, there was a surprise winner. Canada's Emilie Fournier competed consistently all night to finish with the highest score. A measure of her consistency, while her rivals made costly errors, is the fact that she was 7th after the second rotation, and 3rd after the third (about 30 competitors). Because I didn't expect her to medal, I made the unfortunate mistake of neglecting the majority of her routines (and it was hard to keep track with 4 events going simultaneously). However, on beam, her final piece of apparatus, she displayed a powerful pike front mount (floated and high) to immediate tuck jump; as well as a punch pike front mid routine.

Andrea Isarescu finished second, and was the last competitor on the floor. She needed a 9.7 odd to win, and being the 1998 Junior European champion on that piece of apparatus, theoretically it wasn't out of the question. However, a questionable landing on a jump connection meant no gold medal for her. Tumbling quite consistent - nice 2 1/2 twist punch front. Her Phelps vaults are reasonably well laid out, but it is frustrating to see the Romanian girls pike their post flights and score highly, while many other gymnasts can reach a layout position and get a lower score. But I digress. Isarescu has some interesting qualities, but she is still very Romanian.

Both Chinese gymnasts were very good. It was great to finally see the exciting Kui Yuan Yuan live - she is a head taller than she was in Atlanta, and even Lausanne (well, she is 18 years old now). Her beam was packed, even though it was slightly watered down - switch leap, Yang jump combo; FF, layout, layout; FF, FF, whip (no full twist, although I suspect she will put it back in); wolf jump, Rulfova; double tuck off. Her release on bars was a Tkatchev, and I enjoyed the relatively mature choreography in her floor (cheeky start pose).

Yang Yun is a new name from China with some exciting gymnastics. On bars, she displayed a HUGE Ono turn (pirouette around one arm) to a HUGE piked Jaeger; and an amazing high and floated Pak salto. Beam was typical Chinese style, and she included an interesting wolf jump 3/4 to a Yurchenko loop (without the back hip circle). Vault was her undoing, falling backwards on one attempt. Yang did her best to outdo the Aussie's pink leos with her own glad wrap neon pink version.

Both "Spainish" competitors, Sara Moro and Esther Moya, had the routines and talent to win, but once again, errors held them back. Sara Moro is an exciting gymnast with a crisp, clean style, and difficult routines. Her beam routine was excellent and packed with difficulty - layout on; aerial walkover to a cute little pose; side somi; pike jump to 3/4 turn to Shushunova; FF, layout FF; Rulfova; double tuck off. Bars includes a Stalder 1/2 turn to inverted giant; and a front giant full turn to Jaeger.

Esther Moya is an excellent vaulter (she actually won this in the EF), using a RO, 1/2 on, piked barani off (great height). Her bar routine, while excellent, was also notable for being one of the few in the field to mount straight onto the high bar. The routine included a front giant full turn to Jaeger; Tkatchev; and a double front 1/2 dismount.

I was excited by the gymnasts sent out to represent Italy - Adriana Crisci and Martina Bremini, but it was evident that they weren't in peak condition. Bremini is a personal favourite of mine, but unfortunately she started with falls on beam (no Popa jump, but a nice Silivas mount), which continued through onto floor. Her jumps on floor were extended and high, one of her characteristics. Vault was better where she displayed a full and double twisting Yurchenko.

A feature of Adriana Crisci's work is her crisp and light style, which I find is particularly evident on beam. Her main series on beam (FF, layout, FF) is magic, but she came unstuck on a tour jete, which she landed on two feet. She also had problems landing her double tuck off. Crisci includes a gorgeous, split leg dive roll in her floor, which almost hangs in mid air at one point, such is the skill with which she performs this simple move. She came to grief at the end of her floor, falling heavily on the last tumble, and she appeared momentarily to be injured, but still finished the competition.

The Belarussian girls, Natalia Naramovich and Marina Zarzhitskaya, were also plagued by major errors. Naramovich was first up on beam, and had the misfortune of falling at least three times, scoring 6.9 odd. Zarzhitskaya had problems on all apparatus, but displayed some mature choreography on beam and floor.

Natalia Gorodni was in the lead for most of the night, but her final apparatus, vault, did her in (this seems to be a real problem for the "Jukraine" team as a whole). She displayed gymnastics which can be described as "typical Ukrainian" - good technique, form and style, with no big risks. A highlight of her bars was a 1 1/2 pirouette into a piked Jaeger, while on beam she showed a hesitant Yang Bo type jump; but her side somersault, and her dismount series (FF, FF, double tuck) were excellent. 

Galina Tyryk, her elegant team mate, made errors to finish down the standings, such as falls on floor and vault. I really enjoyed her beautiful beam routine, which had similar elements to Gorodni's, eg side somi, and she performed two consecutive Yang Bo type jumps. I call them this because they didn't really jump into them, they sort of stepped into them, put their heads back momentarily, but their feet barely left the beam. (Right: Galina Tyryk performs a beautiful Yang Bo jump on beam).

The sunburnt British girls (yes, the sun is much stronger in Australia!) went through the motions. Holly Murdock withdrew from the competition after beam, although it wasn't clear why. She is an excellent beam worker, with an interesting aerial walkover mount to sit sideways, to a reverse straddle balance. Natalie Lucitt displayed some nice choreography on floor and beam, but overall, I didn't see much of her gymnastics. Similarly, I didn't take note of the routines peformed by Fournier's team mate Amelie Plante, although she was noticeably more elegant.

I was so excited to see Ludivine Furnon and Elvire Teza, the veteran performers from France. After seeing them on TV for years, it was an experience to see them in person. I couldn't believe how tiny the 19 year old Furnon was, and the personality she displays on TV is very much evident live. Her new floor routine, to techno music, was very well received. Starting with a double layout punch front, she displayed a well choreographed routine - she moves so beautifully on floor, that it's not hard to see why she makes finals at Worlds. Her beam was also a treat. Starting with a jump 1/4 turn to side split mount, she showed a nice side somi; FF, layout, FF series; change leg side leap to immediate Shushunova (even quicker than Trudy's), but she nearly came to grief on her punch front (those new beams are slippery).

Elvire Teza was equally as exciting, especially on beam on bars. A treat for everyone was her trademark move on beam, the "Teza", which is a full twisting backflip to support across the beam. Her leg form on this isn't great, but it's such a wild move (oohs from the crowd), you can't really blame her. She also includes a wolf jump, Rulfova combo, and a 2 1/2 twist off. Bars includes a German giant (kind of a stoop through to an L-grip giant), to piked Jaeger, immediate overshoot 1/2 turn to handstand on low bar. From memory, she had problems on floor and vault to keep her down the standings.

Jana Komrskova from the Czech Republic is a gymnast I have become familiar with over the past year or so, due to Foxtel's coverage of the Grand Prix events, so I was pleased that this tall, somewhat elegant gymnast made the trip out here. Unfortunately she didn't have the best competition, with falls on floor (bad take off for her 2 1/2 twist punch front), and maybe another on beam. She made vault finals, performing a difficult "Pod" vault (RO, 1/2 on, pike barani off).

Jeanette Antolin from the United States wore a sleeveless leotard for this competition - to each their own, but I hope this trend doesn't catch on. The muscly Antolin has some interesting routines and some difficult skills, but she made a number of errors to finish below her potential. Her bars is accentuated with amazing swing, and an L-grip giant to die for - she really powers her way over the top of the bar, straight into a dazzling layout Jaeger. Her dismount has been described as a double front half, but she does it differently, swinging out of the preceding giant with an inverted grip. Vault was a layout Khorkina. Her floor routine is performed to the theme from Gone with the wind, and was quite well presented, with nice use of her hands. Her tumbling was watered down from what I've seen in the past (whip double pike; double pike). (Left: Jeanette Antolin shows an interesting variation on an arabesque).

Twelve Australian gymnasts competed in the AA, and unlike Wednesday night's excellent competition, many of the girls made uncharacteristic errors. Tired? Nervous? Self conscious in the pink leos? One can only guess.

The highest placed Australian was Melinda Cleland, who was 6th, despite a fall on one of her tumbles on floor. However, she went on the stick her vaults (handspring layout; same with 1/2 turn), her bars (trademark sky high dismount) and a beautiful beam.

Allana Slater looked set to win the event until she fell on her punch front mount on beam, and a further fall on floor didn't help her at all. However, her bars and vaults (layout and piked Cuervo) were very good. Her bars was one of the highlights of the night, as she competed a double twisting double back dismount - first Australian girl to do so, and only one of a handful of girls who have EVER competed it.

Trudy McIntosh started on bars, her weakest event, and once again, she experienced some problems, scoring just 8.05. But being the fighting competitor she is, she erased memories of the fall by storming back on beam (beautiful FF, FF, whip series) and floor. On vault she performed an easy handspring layout, but slipped backwards on her McIntosh. Despite this, she still scored high enough to make EF on vault, as well as floor and beam.

Brooke O'Brien was one of the few Australians to go through the night with no major errors. She arguably owns the best triple twist in the country - such a tight and fast twist, and all the way round - no cheating 2 3/4 quarter twists for her.

Jacqui Dunn was great on bars, scoring 9.6+, but her AA was spoilt by a fall on her FF, Onodi series on beam. Her floor routine, to one of the songs from the movie The mask, shows improved expression, and all tumbles were pretty much stuck. It was interesting to note the reaction of Ludivine Furnon, who once used this music - she was dancing to it on the side (using the moves from her floor) while Jacqui was performing!

Zeena McLaughlin had trouble with her tumbling on floor, and may have fallen from bars. Her Yurchenko 1 1/2 was good, and she was back to the Zeena of 1998 on beam, with an excellent routine, scoring 9.537. Unfortunately she didn't get to compete in the EF as her score tied Melinda Cleland, and Peggy Liddick gave Melinda the nod due to her higher AA score.

Tam Le went through with no major errors, and as usual her beam routine was a highlight, despite a wonky mount. She has a really nice style on this apparatus, and the jump half turn to split handstand across the beam, lowering to a planche, got all the cameras clicking away. Another highlight of Tam's work is her Endos on bars - she achieves a deep straddle position as she swings under the bar. I noticed that Tam was finding increased consistency on her beam and bars, and possibly floor, but it is her floor and vault work that is noticeably weaker and holds her back in AA competitions.

Brooke Walker had a reasonable competition, and once again elected to perform a handspring pike front half on vault (she's capable of a layout). Her floor routine was very good, and she made finals on this piece of apparatus. Beam was another good event - she has really found her consistency on this apparatus -the last thing you expect is for her to fall.(Right: The elegant Brooke Walker shows her style on beam).

Jenny Smith had problems on beam and bars, but once again, we were treated to some excellent vaulting from this gymnast. Her Yurchenko 1 1/2 was excellent - comparable to Shushunova's version - height, form, distance, and a stuck landing.

Lisa Skinner performed much better tonight than she did in the Nationals AA, but a few errors still crept in, eg she missed her sissone jump after her punch front mount, foot out on two tumbles. Lisa has introduced a difficult combination into her floor routine - a triple pivot to immediate Shushunova! If there was one gymnast that the pink leo looked really good on, it was Lisa (see photo left). 

Liz Wong also made errors on beam and floor, but she performed one of the best bar routines of the night for a score of 9.50. Her form on this apparatus is excellent, and her releases are a Shaposhnikova, and a straddled Jaeger.

Alexandra Croak went through the motions - it really wasn't her night at all. She missed her difficult Kim released on the bars, and there may have been an extra swing elsewhere in the routine. She also put her hands down on her opening tumble on floor, which was an Arabian double front. More competitive experience can only help this gymnast find her consistency.

Katarina Frketic missed her Shaposhnikova on bars (just like Nationals), and may have fallen from beam, but her floor routine was excellent. After several months off through injury, Frketic can only improve from this point.

Reading back, it seems that the Australian girls performed really badly - they certainly made errors, but so did many of the international gymnasts. In the end, consistency won out, and Emilie Fournier was a deserving winner of the title. Gorodny, Isarescu and Slater all had their chances, but failed to go 4 for 4.

I didn't see both sessions of the Event Finals, but the winner's were as follows : vault - Esther Moya (ESP); bars - Allana Slater (AUS, best bars I've ever seen from her); beam - Kui Yuan Yuan (CHN, fantastic) and floor - Trudy McIntosh (AUS).

© Dudnik, 2000