Artistic Gymnastics debuted on Monday at the Commonwealth Games with the first part of the team final. In a different format compared to what we are used to at major competitions, each team competes during both days, first on vault and bars and then on beam and floor in the second day. The “team final” counts also as a qualifier for the all around and event finals to be held later this week.
In the team competition, the favorite England finished the first day ahead of Australia. As expected, vault was a comparatively stronger event for the former, with big vaults from Harrold, Fragapane and Simm. But it was Australia who won the next event, bars.
A good bars rotation by all four Australians in the line-up – Larrissa Miller, Georgia-Rose Brown, Olivia Vivian and Mez Monckton – kept Australia less than two points behind the leader. England lost important points due to mistakes by Harrold and Fragapane – and Whelan, but her routine was not expected to count. Between the top two teams, before the final two pieces of apparatus, it seems that anything is possible.
Wales placed on a surprising 3rd place after very consistent performances on bars from Beddoe, Theaker and Romaeo and a good vault rotation.
Canada, on the other hand, had a rough start of competition after faltering on bars where their hopeful for an event final, Isabela Onysko, and team mate Victoria-Kayen Woo had major mistakes. Canada were the 4th team on the day on the event (37.433), tie with South Aftica. Their good placement on vault (2nd with 42.299) lifted their total but they will need to make up for 1.5 points in order to take over Wales for the bronze medal in the second day.
Team Final, after two pieces of apparatus:
1 England Vault 43.974 / Uneven Bars 41.416 / Total 85.390 2 Australia VT 41.566 / UB 42.316 / T 83.883 3 Wales VT 41.566 / UB 39.866 / T 81.398 4 Canada VT 42.299 / UB 37.433 / T 79.732 5 South Africa VT 41.566 / UB 37.433 / T 78.765 6 Scotland VT 41.299 / UB 36.198 / T 77.497 7 New Zealand VT 41.232 / UB 35.365 / T 76.597 8 Singapore VT 39.774 / UB 34.733 / T 74.507 9 Malaysia VT 40.465 / UB 31.499 / T 71.964 10 Northern Ireland VT 38.399 / UB 32.366 / T 70.765 11 Isle of Man VT 39.466 / UB 30.066 / T 69.532 12 India VT 39.766 / UB 28.066 / T 67.832 13 Sri Lanka VT 37.799 / UB 19.733 / T 57.532 14 Malta VT 35.699 / UB 16.099 / T 51.798
All Around Qualifications, after two events:
1 G.R. Brown VT 14.133/ UB 14.083 2 R Harrold VT 14.733 / UB 13.400 3 C Fragapane VT 14.641 / UB 13.333 4 E Black VT 14.233/ UB 13.333 5 E Beddoe VT 13.900 / UB 13.533 6 M.A. Monckton VT 14.000 / UB 13.333 7 K Beckett VT 14.300 / UB 12.966 8 R Theaker VT 13.866 / UB 12.700 9 M Chant VT 14.000/ UB 12.700 10 H Whelan VT 14.300 / UB 12.333 11 E White VT 14.033 / UB 12.466 12 O Vivian VT 12.533 / UB 13.800 [
Vault Qualifications:
1 Claudia Fragapane 14.453 2 E Black 14.149 3 K Beckett 14.00 4 K Simm 13.966 5 M Chant 13.950 6 GR Brown 13.849 7 D Karmakar 13.800 8 E White 13.733 [
Uneven Bars Qualifications:
1 R Downie 14.683 2 L Miller 14.433 3 G.R Brown 14.083 (4 O Vivian 13.800)* 5 E Beddoe 13.533 6 R Harrold 13.400 (7 M.A. Monckton 13.333) (8 C Fragapane 13.333) 9 E Black 13.333 10 R Theaker 13.300 (11 A Romaeo 13.033) 12 K Beckett 12.966
- gymnasts under brackets will not compete in finals due to the two per country rule [
Article: Bea Gheorghisor
Cover Picture: Nadia Boyce