The breakthrough performance out of the Baku world cup goes to Diana Varinska. The 16 year old from Ukraine dominated the uneven bars rankings in both days of competition. Varinska broke the mold by presenting a Tweddle to inbar straddle Jaeger combo. It was also due to her great lines and nice handstand positions that she qualified first, despite throwing only a layout dismount in the first day of competition. In finals she showcased her full routine (with a full in dismount) and was rewarded with 13.933/ 6.0 (watch here). Although it feels like she burst to the top of UB specialists out of nowhere, Diana had received various international assignments in the previous years (EYOF, Euros) but she struggled with consistency.
Rianna Mizzen from Australia won her second silver medal in a World Cup this year, with a 13.6/6.0. The bronze medal went to her team mate Georgia Rose Brown (13.366/5.2).
The vault final was a face off of the usual contenders for this apparatus. Oksana Chusovitina won with an average score of 14.333 (judging by the difficulty, front handspring full and Tsukahara 1 1/2). She was followed on the podium by Emily Little (she’s been doing a DTY and half on half off pike) for 14.067 average. Teja Belak from Slovenia won the bronze medal with an average of 13.75.
Emily Little continues to have a fantastic start of 2017 season with medals in the beam final (bronze – watch here) and the floor final. One could argue that she was snubbed on this event after solid landings on all her passes (13.400/5.1) – watch here. But Catalina Ponor managed to overtake her (with a score only .33 higher). On the 50 Shades of Gray soundtrack (same music from 2016), Ponor had the better interpretation and expression. Her passes are DLO, whip-whip to full in, 2 1/2 twist to punch layout front and double pike. She landed well the first three passes despite some noticeable form issues. On the dismount she rebounded and had low chest taking a few steps forward but managed to stay on her feet (watch here)
Catalina also won the gold medal in the beam final. Here she debuted her new mount (bhs-layout stepout) and had a solid routine with flick -layout to two feet, Onodi- split jump – Omelianchik, she has two artistic elements that didn’t look completely ready (split rig leap and ring jump), that looked like a vulnerability in her routine (13.833/5.6). Vasiliki Millousi had an amazing routine in the final managing to win the silver medal (13.633/5.2).
The two Chinese gymnasts that traveled to Baku had a tough competition: Shang Chunsong had a terrible time in qualifications and had to scratch the bars final after injury, while Wang Cenyu, fell on both bars and beam finals. Cenyu did show some lovely promising gymnastics and we will hear from here again, hopefully under more fortunate circumstances (watch here her beam final routine).
Here are the event final results:
Vault
- Oksana Chusovitina 14.333 (5.4, 5.2)
- Emily Little 14.067 (5.4, 4.8)
- Teja Belak 13.750 (4.8, 5.0)
- Marina Nekrasova 13.700 (4.6, 4.8) 5 Argyro Afrati 13.283 (4.4, 4.6)
- Gaya Giladi 13.117 (4.6, 4.2)
- Tjasa Kysselef 13.116 (4.8, 5.0)
- Rosanna Ojala 12.233 (4.2, 3.5)
Bars
- Diana Varinska 13.933 (6.0)
- Rianna Mizzen 13.6 (6.0)
- Georgia-Rose Brown 13.366 (5.2)
- Cenyu Wang 13.033 (5.9)
- Angelina Radivilova 12.533 (5.3)
- Yulia Inshina 12.3 (4.4)
- Ekaterina Tishkova 12.2 (4.7)
- Chunsong Shang 1.533 (0.3)
Beam
- Catalina Ponor 13.833 (5.6)
- Vasiliki Millousi 13.633 (5.4)
- Emily Little 13.433 (5.2)
- Marina Nekrasova 13.100 (5.1)
- Cenyu Wang 12.833 (5.4)
- Emma Nedov 12.500 (5.3)
- Goksu Uktas Sanli 11.766 (4.6)
- Ofir Kremer 10.466 (4.6)
Floor
- Catalina Ponor 13.433 (5.4)
- Emily Little 13.400 (5.1)
- Marina Nekrasova 12.833 (4.9)
- Ioanna Xoulogi 12.633 (4.4)
- Goksu Uktas Sanli 12.500 (4.6)
- Doga Katenci 12.433 (4.3)
- Gaya Giladi 12.000 (4.4)
- Marila Butckikh 11.900 (4.4)
Article: Bea Gheorghisor