Jesolo Trophy is not only about Seniors, this year the juniors also got to compete, in an all around/ qualification competition and then event finals. Gymnasts from USA, Finland, Slovenia, Canada, Germany and of course Italy, were invited.
Saturday morning, the all around winner was Jordan Chiles. The event finals saw four winners, all of them from the USA.
Jordan Chiles had qualified for all the finals after the fabulous first day, but unfortunately she looked a bit tired on her routines. Still, she placed first on vault, with a huge score of 15.750 for her Amanar. She was also second on UB with a 14.350. With her floor music, ‘Archangel’, she reminded us of Aliya Mustafina. She was elegant and had a difficult routine, but fell on her third pass: Arabian double full, double full to layout, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 , double back tuck (12.800). On beam she scored 13.300 with a big mistake in her routine – full turn, flick – loso- loso puts hand down, switch leap switch half, side somi (wobble), Johnson, aerial – two jumps, punch front, double tuck dismount, almost stuck.
The Texas Dreams gymnast Emma Malabuyo was one of the heroes of the event finals. A perfect beam routine placed her on first place with a deserved (double wold turn, flick – loso – loso, sheep jump, punch front tuck, side aerial, aerial to split jump to wolf, switch ring leap, bhs- bhs – double pike (steps back) 14.60). She scored 13.600 on floor, performing a full in, high leaps and a well done double pike (D: 5.5). She improved her bar routine looking more confided on her skills (Tkachev, Pak, good work in turns, straight body line, full in dismount, tiny hop). She looked satisfied with how her second competition of the year went (Gymnix was the first).
Trinity Thomas from the USA won the floor final with an amazing routine which she opened with a super high double layout, followed by her amazing new pass 2 1/2 twists to double back, lovely butterfly (artistic jump), front double full, triple full with a big step forward (14.15). Gabby Perea (predictably) won the bars final with an amazing routine Jaeger, full turn to Pak, Chow, Van Leeuwen, double layout dismount.
One of the most impressive gymnast was the Italian Martina Maggio, which next year will turn 16 and will compete as senior. Her beam routine was solid, clean and placed her in second place after the American Malabuyo. She impressed judges with a routine with flick – loso-loso, switch leap – switch leap, switch ring leap, side aerial, aerial walkover, side somi, double back hop forward (13.600/5.7). With her floor music she involved all the crowd that cheered for her tumbling passes: a beautiful and high full in to mount,double tuck, double pike and 1 and a half twist. She placed third with 13.500 (D 5.7). She looked like one to watch over the next years as a gymnasts with all the skills but also that “it” factor.
Helene Schäfer from Germany also looked like a rising star, opening the competition with a bronze-winning beam routine with aerial, side somi, side aerial-flick, switch leap, switch half, double turn, double full, a successful routine for her 13.500. She was also 5th on bars (Jaeger, Ray, full tun, double back dismount 12.700).
Canada came out with two very impressive young gymnasts that will have a lot to say in the sport in the future. Unfortunately they didn’t really live up to their potential in Jesolo: Anna Padurariu was 6th on beam with an ambitious routine composed of switch ring leap, big wobble side aerial- loso-loso (cool combo but incurs a fall at the end), switch leap – sheep, switch half, full turn, aerial (another wobble), side somi, double pike dismount – 13.05. She was also 4th on floor (Ferrari, 2 1/2 to 1/2 (oob), tourjete, switch ring leap, 1 1/2 to full, double pike – 13.250). Jade Chobrok won a bronze on vault with a Yurchenko 1 1/2 and Yurchenko full. On floor she placed 7th: whip-whip double back, 2 1/2 to punch front to stag (oob), switch ring leap, switch half, double full, double pike.
Here are the results of the junior event finals:
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Floor:
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1 Trinity Thomas 14.150/5.8
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2 Emma Malabuyo 13.600/5.5
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3 Martina Maggio 13.500/5.1
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4 Ana Padurariu 13.25/5.3
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5 Noemi Linari 13.25/5.4
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6 Georgia Villa 12.900/5.4
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7 Jade Chrobok 12.85/5.4
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8 Jordan Chiles 12.800/5.5
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Uneven Bars:
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1 Gabby Perea 14.65/6.0
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2 Emma Malabuyo 14.35/5.5
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3 Jordan Chiles 14.350/5.7
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4 Georgia Villa 14.00/5.7
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5 Helene Schaffer 12.75/4.6
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6 Cocciolo M Vittoria 12.550/4.8
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7 Ana Padurariu 12.100/4.9
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8 Asia D’Amaro 11.00/5.2
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Article: Ila Corazza, Chiara Gianferotti & Bea Gheorghisor
Photo source: USA Gymnastics