[May 30] Cal State Fullerton to end youth gymnastics program
FULLERTON – Cal State Fullerton's Titan Youth Gymnastics program, which served Fullerton and surrounding cities for roughly 30 years, is being terminated in August. The program serves about 275 families between its competitive girls' team and recreational gymnastics classes. Cal State decided to terminate the program so it could focus the resources on its primary mission, serving university students, said Titan Student Union Director Kurt Borsting, whose division runs the youth sports programs.

Romanian children going to cheerleaders instead of gymnastics
11 teams of cheerleaders and 13 teams of modern dancing have performed last week during a local sport Festival in Bacau, newspaper Adevarul says. Moldavia was, in the past, the "source" for top Romanian gymnastics Champions (Andreea Raducan, Gina Gogean, Maria Olaru). During past years, very few parents still encourage their children to start gymnastics. One of the reasons may be the fees imposed by clubs -like $50/monthly in Deva or Onesti, same as a college student has to pay-for much better living and food conditions-in the State campuses. Despite huge budgets from the State, clubs still impose discouraging fees for parents who barely make a living ($ 150 medium income...which is a dream in most Moldavia small villages).

Gymnastics/No Limits International Open:
LOCAL gymnast Amy Kwan Dict Weng scored a high after coming in sixth in the hoop (pre-junior) and overall category at the No Limits International Open in Belgium last Saturday. Valeria Pischelina of Belarus was the overall champion while Romanian Irina Lalciu topped the juniors category.

[May 30] Cheerleaders earning cheers
They provide gymnasts' skills, energy, support. Yet they are not gymnasts. They are cheerleaders. Stunts required of today's high school cheerleaders represent a radical departure from the 1950s portrait of girls wearing pleated skirts and shaking pompoms. To make a squad, cheerleaders need gymnastics skills more than they need popularity. Families of cheerleaders can pay $500 to $1,000 a year for camps, private tumbling lessons and travel to attend their daughters' competitions. Since cheerleading is not an Indiana High School Athletic Association sport, there are no practice limitations.
[May 28] Romanian gymnastics team...on the beach
Romanian gymnastics team left Deva camp this morning and will arrive by evening in Constanta, a beautiful city on the Black Sea Coast, for a two weeks training and...tanning sessions.
Constanta city will host this week the Junior National Championships, where
many girls from the national team will compete for their clubs.
Romanian gymnastics Birthdays
Happy Birthday! to:
29: Andra STANESCU

Sports Camp Gives Opportunities To The Visually Impaired
A camp in Old Town uses sports to empower kids and teens who are blind or visually impaired. This is the second year the New England Blind Athletic Association sponsored the camp. During the four days, kids try their hands at many sports including gymnastics, swimming and even rock-climbing.

[May 28] TV Alert for Romania: "Campioana" at B1 TV!
18,00- 20,00 : "Campioana" ("The Champion")
You may see Nadia Comaneci during late 80's (as referee), coach Tatiana Popa, Sergiu Popa, and some "real" gymnasts of the late80's-early 90's (Daniela Silivas, Eugenia Popa), filmed at Ploiesti (during Int.Champ.) and Deva. The movie is aired again after midnight, from 1,00 .

[May 27] Gymnastics face sanctioning difficulties
Wyoming / CST: Why is gymnastics so close to losing its sanctioning?
RL: The problem we have with gymnastics is that we really struggle with the infrastructure of gymnastics, from the standpoint that we don't have enough officials. This year, we tried to get South Dakota officials to come to our state gymnastics meet, but they were busy, so we had not near the number of officials that we would like to have at a state meet. ... We're the same way with coaches. Casper was a perfect example. They lose both coaches, and they can't find a coach (until midway through the season). It's hanging by a thumbnail. We're trying to do everything we can. ... But, at the same time, we also have to weigh the expense issue for the schools and for us, and those types of things.

[May27] Gymnastics Facility On Wheels Rolls Into Tyler Recycling Center The Tyler Recycling Collection Center added something new today. A school bus, called the Tumblebus has been turned into a gymnastics facility on wheels. The Tumblebus is at the recycling center for its Color It Beautiful event, which teaches children about recycling. To get on the bus, all children have to do is draw a picture on something that will be recycled.

[May 27] Porn suspect caught in Spain
A 63-year-old Sarasota man was arrested in Spain for fleeing to evade trial on 126 child pornography charges against him in Sarasota, federal authorities announced Friday. Investigators say William Lee Copp, an internationally renowned videographer and gymnastics coach, downloaded child pornography onto his computer between the late 1990s and 2004, according to the FBI. He subscribed to a child pornography Web site with his credit card to obtain sexual images involving children.
Copp, president of the Copp Academy of Trampoline and Tumbling, was added to the U.S. Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2002, according to the organization's Web site. The former school teacher, who lived in Cleveland, Sarasota and Venice, was known for his videos of trampoline and tumbling competitions in the 1970s, the Web site stated.

[May 27] Sarasota man arrested in Spain for child porn
Nerja, Spain - A Sarasota man and Gymnastics Hall of Fame inductee was arrested in Spain. He was wanted by the FBI on child pornography charges. Agents announced that 63-year-old William Lee Copp was arrested on Thursday by Spanish authorities, with the assistance from the FBI.
Copp is a former school teacher and President of the Copp Academy of Trampoline & Tumbling.

[May 26] Blunder causes problems at Gym Champs
Radio New Zealand/ A major blunder by officials has seen a New Zealand gymnast giving back her bronze medal at the Australian National Gymnastics Championships in Sydney and other gymnasts be shifted up and down the finals placings. The error came after local officials calculated results incorrectly and then awarded medals without re-checking the results meaning Kate Ronaldson, of North Harbour drops from third to 13th in the all around competition and missed out on any individual apparatus finals.

[May 25] Sherman Sisters Remembered Mourning
We're learning more about the lives of the two sisters from Holt who died from injuries sustained in a car crash in Livingston County Sunday. Emily Sherman, 16, died Sunday while her sister Chelsea, 14, passed away Tuesday. Both teens were involved in programs at Twistars USA Gymnastics Club in Dimondale. Emily was a cheerleader and Head Coach John Geddert says Chelsea was well on her way to becoming a college gymnast.

[May 23] Andrey Kostin Elected President of Russian Competitive Gymnastics Federation MOSCOW (RNWire) – Vneshtorgbank`s Chairman and CEO, Andrey Kostin was elected President of the Russian Competitive Gymnastics Federation on 19 May at an election meeting held by this national public organisation.
The programme presented by Andrey Kostin sets out key priorities aimed at developing the Russian Competitive Gymnastics Federation, including enhanced logistics for sports schools, improved labour conditions for coaches and technicians, and also support for Olympic veterans. In addition, considerably advanced selection activities and increased number of sport competitions of a variety of levels are envisaged by the programme to make the competitive gymnastics more popular as a sport modality.

[May 22] Gina Gogean, getting married on July 1st!
Check close yours mail these days, you may get lucky: Gina Gogean have send the (official) wedding* invitations!...
*official invitations being send: exclusive, last minute info, obtained & announced by romanian-gymnastics.com

[May 21] Baby Boy "Zece" (Ten) is OK; 4 1/2 weeks to...landing
During a live phone interview aired by Antena 1 TV minutes ago, Nadia Comaneci have confirmed that everything is OK with her pregnancy and she expect the coming of her Baby Boy "Zece" in 4 and a half weeks.
Romanian gymnastics fans have named the coming Boy "Zece", joking, of course, but...being more inspired than the father itself who came up with "Dylan". Come on, Bart!...A good, positive-energy, winner-to-be name is the least you can do, be a nice guy and change it...this would be your (some says first) Big contribution to the whole Project!
related story:
[Feb 8] Nadia having a baby boy: Romanian gymnastics fans comments

[May 21] Happy Anniversary to Nadia Elena Comaneci !
Today is the name anniversary for Nadia ELENA Comaneci (both Catholic and Orthodox religions have the Helen-Elena saint being celebrated today; people who carry the name of this saint are celebrated, too).

TV Alert : Nadia Comaneci and her "perfect 10" , celebrated at Antena 1
Sunday 21st, Nadia Comaneci and her "Perfect 10" Montreal Games performance will be celebrated during "Duminica in familie" program of Antena 1 channel (14,00).

Parts of the original Romanian TVR1 broadcast from the 1976 live transmission will be aired and some guests will share their thoughts. The recorded program will be available on web later today (17,00 GMT; 10,00 East Coast). For now, the previous edition is posted.


[May 20] $30,000 for Lavinia Milosovici's child treatment
Lavinia Milosovici just received 25,000 Euros (like $30,000) to try a treatment of her sick child at the famous Beijing Xishan Hospital of Dr.Huang. Money were a donation by a silent fan of Romanian gymnastics.
During a live -soap opera alike- TVR1 program called "Surprize, surprize" , Romania's most popular program), Lavinia Milosovici busted out in tears, speaking (1st time on TV) about her little girl health problems -brain underdevelopment due to a premature born and wrong treated infection of embryon, during fist months of pregnancy.
Lavinia Milosovici was brought to the TV show by former coach Mariana Bitang and Andreea Raducan. They were joined later by Gina Gogean, Simona Amanar , Maria Olaru and Corina Ungureanu who came to encourage her. Program will be aired again Monday 21 on TVR1 (10,10-11,55).

EXCLUSIVE: Cristina Bontas Tantaru- EXCLUSIVE interview
photos by Andreea Luca / Canada
Q: Is it harder to work as coach than it was to be a gymnast?
Cristina Bontas-Tantaru: I have to admit that it is harder to be coach than a gymnast, but you have a greater satisfaction when you go to a competition and you know the gymnasts represent the Club and your work.

Q: Do you have plans for your club gymnasts to reach the Olympics?
Cristina Bontas : We have some 8 and 9 years old children which are very talented and which are on the right way to the top performance.But the way is soo long that we have to enjoy our present work and their results...

[May 20] Nunno resigns as Oklahoma gymnastics coach
Associated Press/ OKLAHOMA CITY -- Steve Nunno, who coached Shannon Miller in the Olympics before becoming the women's gymnastics coach at Oklahoma, has resigned after six seasons leading the Sooners. Nunno, 48, said Friday that he's leaving the program in good hands and that he's stepping down to spend more time with his family -- his wife and three children, ages 7, 8 and 9.
His resignation -- announced in a news release -- comes a little more than four months after Oklahoma acknowledged that its men's basketball and men's and women's gymnastics programs had violated NCAA rules. Oklahoma reported to the NCAA that the women's gymnastics program held too many mandatory practices. In its report, the university said it would self-impose a one-week suspension from team activities for its women's gymnastics coaches and freeze Nunno's salary for one year.

[May 19] Coach hopeful of gymnast's recovery
Yoichi Tomita describes Andrew Donnellan as one of the most "powerful" gymnasts he has ever coached. And that muscular build, Tomita said, might help the Salpointe Catholic High School junior recover from a spinal cord injury suffered during a routine flip Friday that left him paralyzed from the neck down.

[May 18] Accident paralyzes Salpointe gymnast
Tucson, Arizona | One of Tucson's top male gymnasts is paralyzed from the neck down after suffering spinal cord damage in a tumbling accident his coach says happens "one in a million times."
Andrew Donnellan, a sophomore at Salpointe Catholic High School, fractured two vertebrae when he landed on his head during a workout at Gymnastics World in Midtown on Friday. He underwent a five-hour surgery at University Medical Center on Wednesday afternoon to fuse four vertebrae. He was listed in serious condition late Wednesday. His next stop likely will be the renowned Craig Hospital in Englewood, Colo., a spinal-cord-injury rehabilitation facility. He is expected to begin rehabilitation next week. Donnellan was performing a basic forward tumble, coach Yoichi Tomita said, when he over-rotated and landed on his head.

[May 18] Paralyzed Gymnast Moves To Rehabilitation Hospital (KDKA)
The 14-year-old girl recently injured in a gymnastics accident is now recovering in a rehabilitation hospital. Claire Senita went to Children’s Hospital in critical condition after she injured her spinal cord last week. Tuesday she was upgraded to fair condition. Senita’s mother says there are now guarantees she will fully recover, but there is still hope she will walk again.

[May 18] Fargo to get new gymnastics academy
A group of parents associated with American Gold Gymnastics wants to raise nearly $1 million to open a new gymnastics academy in Fargo. TNT Kid’s Fitness and Gymnastics Academy will likely start in mid-July at 2800 Main Ave., occupying half of the former Kiefer’s warehouse, about 20,000 square feet. The remodeling project will cost nearly $500,000, according to plans filed with the Fargo city inspections office.

[May 18] Injured novice gymnast released from hospital
Claire Senita, a Richland teenager who suffered a spinal cord injury in a gymnastics accident, was released from Children's Hospital yesterday. Dr. P. David Adelson, director of pediatric neurotrauma at the hospital, said she would be admitted to a rehabilitation facility. Claire, 14, an eighth-grade student at Pine-Richland Middle School, suffered fracture and dislocation injuries that bruised her spinal cord and required surgery to fuse her fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae, Dr. Adelson said. She has weakness in her arms and is unable to walk, he said, though she appears to have some sensation in her legs and could recover more function in the coming weeks.

[May 17] Parents of injured 14-year-old gymnast stay hopeful
The parents of a Richland teenager hurt in a gymnastics accident spoke yesterday of their hopes for her recovery from a spinal cord injury. "We're praying and we're optimistic that she will walk again," said Claire Senita's mother, Emily. She spoke during a news briefing at Children's Hospital, the family's first since Claire, 14, was hurt a week earlier.

[May 14] Marian Dragulescu marriage- videos

[May 14] Marian Dragulescu marriage - the Orthodox Curch ceremony

[May 13] Marian Dragulescu -change his status: from playboy to Husband
I'm sure 13 a Bad Day for many girls...Today, Marian Dragulescu will change his status from a World Recognized Playboy to a (more serious one)- loving husband. Casa de Piatra*!
*Romanian traditional wish: "stone house" -to have a marriage rock solid
(more photos next hours)



TV Alert : Andreea Raducan in a TV show at National TV
Andreea Raducan is the Special Guest Star in a talk show (" Proud to be Romanian") aired by National TV in Romania, on Sunday 14 , starting at 17,00.

[May 12] U.S. gym future excites Karolyi
Karolyi and his wife, Martha, have created an American gymnastics empire since defecting from Romania in 1981. Both gained fame working with Nadia Comaneci before and during her historic performance at the 1976 Montreal Games, but they have flourished in the United States.
In addition to Comaneci, Durham and Retton, Karolyi has coached international medal winners Kerri Strug, Dominique Moceanu and Kim Zmeskal, the first American to win a Worlds all-around gold medal. Memmel and Liukin don't fall directly into that elite coterie; each is coached by her father. But the stamp of Karolyi is all over U.S. gymnastics; not only does the team train on his 2,000-acre ranch, he created the current training program, which he calls "semi-centralized." The goal, he said, was to get the nation's elite athletes and coaches working for a common goal — U.S. supremacy. The success of Memmel and Liukin indicates it's working. "I really do think that program has helped tremendously," Liukin, 16, said. "The coaches really are all together and trying to help one another. We are competitive, but not so competitive that we won't talk to each other. I really do think it's helping a lot, not just the athletes but the team."

USA / Parents protests for a new gymnastics hall and equipment
A group of Lehi parents say they're going to have to pull their children out of the city-run gymnastics program unless the city provides more gym space and equipment for the competitive gymnasts.

[May 12] Bela Karoly, gymnastics ambassador
USA Gymnastics couldn't have a more dynamic ambassador than Bela Karolyi, 63, the famed former Romanian coach who was a big hit Thursday while speaking at a breakfast at Xcel Energy Center to promote the Visa national championships that will be held at the St. Paul arena Aug. 16-19. "Just hearing him speak motivates you," USA star Chellsie Memmel said.

[May 11] USA: Teen Injured At Gymnastics Remains Hospitalized
(KDKA) A Richland teenager injured during a gymnastics maneuver remains in critical condition today at Children’s Hospital. Claire Senita, 14, was doing a front handspring Tuesday when she came down on her head. She was flown to the hospital, paralyzed from the chest down. However, there is hope that her paralysis is temporary.

[May 11] USA / Girl injured in gymnastics class
A 14-year-old girl was in critical but stable condition after undergoing surgery Wednesday at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh for an injury suffered during her beginner's gymnastics class. Claire Senita, of Richland, had completed a basic move called the forward roll during a warm-up Tuesday evening, said Brian McGrath, the owner of Trinity Gymnastics in West Deer. She had made two passes across the gym mat.
"Before any kids do cheerleading or gymnastics, they need a standard lesson of 45 minutes to an hour to let them know about the consequences of spinal cord injuries," Ted Senita said. "Once that spinal cord is cut, it's done."
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons estimates hospitals, doctors and clinics treat more than 86,000 gymnastics-related injuries each year. The number is hard to nail down, said Dr. Paula Turocy, chair of the athletic training department at Duquesne University. Many injuries go unreported, and most emergency rooms only track sports injuries that are brought in for immediate treatment.

[May 10] Stick It - on the top of the US Box office
...Gymnastics comedy drama Stick It made fourth place (with a 4.5 from the Romanian judge), taking $5.5 million, just edging out United 93, which slipped to fifth place with $5.2 million. The juggernaut that is Ice Age: The Meltdown just won't give up, actually rising a place to sixth and a weekly total of $4 million.

Olympic champion shares insight
As a former athlete, coach and parent of an Olympian, Jack Phelps saw certain things from different angles, some of which didn’t make much sense to him.
Out of the discussions came PandA (Parents and Athletes), the name of their program in which the father and daughter speak at gymnastics clubs about parental involvement, communication and other issues related to today’s gymnasts.
“He talks about his experience as a parent of an athlete at a higher level and helps answer the parents’ questions and concerns about that,’’ said McClure, who spoke Sunday with her father at the Tradewinds Sports Center in Kahului. “I do the gymnastics part of it where I come in and help programs with different drills and techniques that maybe they haven’t heard of before and come in and hang out with the kids since they don’t all experience that.
“A lot of these things are just an education process,’’ Phelps said.
“Parents really don’t know how to deal with coaches. They think if they approach a coach with a problem, it will affect their kid’s playing time. Unfortunately, that does happen “If everybody sits down and talk, parents, athlete and coach, you get that triad, and everybody is on the same page and everybody knows what they want and you can work through this.’’

History of gymnastics
Gymnastics (from the Greek word 'gymnos' meaning 'the naked art') is a sport involving the performance of sequences of movements, incorporating six distinct disciplines: artistic gymnastics, rhythmic gymnastics, aerobic gymnastics, acrobatic gymnastics, trampoline gymnastics and general gymnastics.
Ancient stone cuttings show people building human pyramids and practicing balancing acts. As early as 4,100 years ago, circus-like acrobatics were performed in ancient Egypt. 2,000 years ago, men and women of ancient Greece developed the art of bull leaping and gymnastics were part of the ancient Olympic Games.
Modern gymnastics as a sport developed in the mid-19th century in Europe. The International Federation of Gymnastics (Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique - FIG) was founded in 1881. Men's artistic gymnastics was introduced into the first Olympic Games in1896; women's gymnastics was later included in 1928.


Nadia Comaneci -more important than 1st Romanian on Space!
“I kept thinking what made the difference for the communist regime to use for propaganda Nadia Comaneci’s name -the gymnast to score a first ever 10 in the Olympicst and not my name too. I understood later that Nadia’s accomplishment valued more as she made it in the West, supported by Romanians only, while I made it as part of an international cooperation team, with support from a country which Romania did not share the best relations with, in spite of our similar political systems,” says Prunariu, the first Romanian – and so far stays the only one – to have ever flown beyond the earth atmosphere 25 years ago...

Romanian gymnastics...gossip over Internet
Latest Romanian gymnastics gossip over Net:
1) Andrea Munteanu being retired- not true, at least not yet; for an update go to: Romanian gymnastics team status ;
2) Simona Amanar comeback rumors: soo funny! Glad to hear she still have many fans who would love to see her coming back; not gonna happen. Romanian gymnastics team head coach Nicolae Forminte have told us:
"World got crazy badly. Certainly we shall fight to win Vault starting next year, with one of the gymnasts form the actual team."

Romanian gymnastics Birthdays
Happy Birthday! to:
8: Rodica Marinescu, Adriana TAMARJAN , Ana Maria TAMARJAN
9: Daniela Silivas; 11:Monica Rosu ; 12:Loredana Boboc; 15:Andreea Ulmeanu 16:Rodica Dunca; 24:Melina Druta; 26:Ramona Socarici; 28: Cosmin Popescu
29: Andra STANESCU

[May 8]Sorry, girls! Marian Dragulescu become husband!
According to the Romanian newspaper Averea, Marian Dragulescu will have Sunday the marriage ceremony; after that, the private party will take place in one of the top VIP places, Bucharest Diplomat's Club.
According to same newspaper Averea, Nadia Comaneci and her husband Bart Conner have agreed to be the Godparents for Dominique Moceanu -who will get married later this year. Congratulations!

[May 7]BBC Sport  : Romania had a good day
... Romania also had a good day with Marian Dragulescu winning gold in the vault with a score of 16.587 and Flavius Koczi producing the only score over 16 on the pommel horse. Dragulescu also collected a silver in the floor exercise while team mate Alin Jivan made it a Romanian one-two in the vault.

[May 7] Men's Apparatus Finals: Romania and Russia take two golds each
Romania, which won two gold and two silver medals, and Russia, which also won two European titles plus a silver medal, made a powerful performance in the Apparatus Finals of the Men’s category.
Floor exercises: The Russian Anton Golotsutskov managed to “dethrone” the winner of the previous two editions, the Romanian Marian Dragulescu. Golotsutskov had a very clean routine (15.600) and outscored Dragulescu (15.525), who was not on his best day and seemed way less sparkling than his previous ones, in the Competition I and in the Team Final. A disappointing result also came for the other Romanian finalist, Dorin Razvan Selariu, who finished fourth (15.375) and lost the bronze to the Czech surprise medalist Martin Konecny (15.475).
Pommel horse: The Romanian first-timer Flavius Koczi made the big surprise and won the gold medal against all odds. Koczi, who was the 8th and last gymnast to be qualified to the final, was the only one who made a clean routine, in a disastrous day for most of the finalists.
Vault: The Romanian Marian Dragulescu returned to the European peak and celebrated his third title on the apparatus (2002, 2004, 2006) with a splendid performance and an average of 16.575 points. Romania had a double victory, as Alin Sandu Jivan clinched the second spot with 16.387.

[May 7] Men's Apparatus finals: Quotes of the winners
Marian Dragulescu (ROM, silver on floor exercises): ‘I’m sorry that I lost the title but the second place is better than nothing. I do not know what happened. I made some mistakes and I lost the first place. Last night I did not feel so good. I think that I’m still among the best and I have chances to win again in the future”.
Flavius Koczi (ROM, gold on pommel horse): “I did not really expect to win the gold. In fact I did not think I could win any medal. I have to admit that today I was very lucky. I do not know if I can become the successor of Marius Urzica. It is hard to say the future will show. The competition was excellent and from today Volos is my lucky city”.
Marian Dragulescu (ROM, gold on vault): “I’m thrilled to win one more gold medal in a European Championships. Now I have nine of them. Before leaving Romania I told my teammates that three medals would be good, no less. I do not know if I’m better on floor exercises or vault, but vault is the one I enjoy the most. I’ ll keep practicing until 2008, so as to take part to the Olympics of Bejing and win a gold medal. To be an idol for other athletes such as Michalis Doulkeridis from Greece, although surprises me at first, it makes me fell so glad”.
Alin Sandu Jivan (ROM, silver on vault): “I’m glad to win a silver medal in a European Championships and my goal from now on is to win a gold one. I’m also glad to share the podium next to a gymnast such as Dragulescu. I admire him so much and I try to learn from him. He is the most powerful. I would like to dedicate this medal to my family and teammates”.

[May 7] EC Men’s Artistic Gymnastics in Volos: superb Senior Finals
Volos/UEG/18 countries were represented in the senior finals; Romania had 6 places, Germany, Italy and Russia 5. These were superb finals, of a very high level.
Dragulescu beaten on floor but imperial on vault - surprise on pommel horse - Kozci, the Romanian, last of the qualifications, wins the title.
Floor: A Romanian festival on floor with Marian Dragulescu and Dorin Razvan Selariu, who were the best gymnasts in the qualification. Dragulescu’s first acrobatic line was superb, not only technically speaking; it was also a delight for the eyes as his movements are very harmonious. The style of the Russian Anton Golotsukov is the opposite, he impresses in particular by his jumps. This force allowed him to take the lead; Dragulescu remains 2nd.
1. Golotsutskov / RUS - 15.600 (A score 6.40) 2. Dragulescu / ROM - 15.525 3. Konecny / CZE - 15.475 4. Selariu / ROM - 15.375 5. Capelli / SUI - 15.050 6. Ude / CRO - 14.900 7. Yanev / BUL - 14.875 8. Pozzo / ITA - 14.250.
Pommel horse: Among the first to compete, three fell (Ude, Juckel, Popescu).
1. Koczi / ROM - 15.250 2. Spiridonov / GER - 14.775 3. Suprun / UKR - 14.750 4. Berki / HUN - 14.600 5. Popescu / ROM - 14.425 6. Ude / CRO - 14.075 7. Busnari / ITA - 13.775 8. Juckel / GER - 13.450 .
Rings: The Romanian Zozulia presents an element, which he is the only one to show: a Azarian + swallow. His routine has an A score of 6.70 and he gets a score of 15.600.
1. Safoshkin / RUS - 16.425 2. Jovtchev / BUL - 16.275 3. Coppolino / ITA - 16.000 4. Zozulia / UKR - 15.600 5. Angioletti / ITA - 15.425 6. Kasparovich / BLR - 15.275 7. Vialtsev / UKR - 15.050 8. Andergassen / GER - 14.950
Vault: ault: The competition starts with immediate suspense: the two best gymnasts of the qualifications, Dragulescu (ROM) and Golotsutskov (RUS), presented the very best: the „Zimmerman” plus a ½ twist; the first one after the first salto, the second after two saltos. A vault with an A score of 7.00. The third gymnast having an A score of 7.00 is the French Raphael Wignanitz. His first vault is a double Tsukahara or « Yeo ». This is provisionally the second place, but the Romanian Jivan is the last to compete. Thanks to his second vault, the “Twiggs”, he wins silver and Wignanitz bronze; Golotsutskov has to be satisfied with rank 4.
1. Dragulescu / ROM - 16.587 2. Jivan / ROM - 16.387 3. Wignanitz / FRA - 16.337 4. Golotsutskov / RUS - 16.237 5. Hambüchen / GER - 16.187 6. Lyszczarz / POL - 15.925 7. Botella Perez / ESP - 15.762 8. Yanev / BUL - 15.487

[May 7] Flavius Koczi won in the pommel horse
AP/Forbes.com/ Anton Golotsutskov of Russia won the gold medal in the floor exercise and Flavius Koczi of Romania won in the pommel horse Sunday at the European Men's Gymnastics Championships. In the floor exercise, Golotsutskov scored 15.600 points, Marian Dragulescu of Romania was second and Martin Konecny of the Czech Republic took bronze. Koczi, who came in last in pommel horse qualifying on Thursday, won with 15.250 points. Eugen Spiridonov of Germany was second followed by Olexander Suprun of Ukraine. Dragulescu won gold in the vault, Mitja Petkovsek of Slovenia won the parallel bars and Alexander Safoshkin of Russia won the rings. Vlasios Maras of Greece won on the horizontal bar.

[May 7] EC Men’s Artistic Gymnastics in Volos: Junior Finals
Russia, Germany and Ukraine had each 9 qualifications, Greece 4, Great-Britain and Switzerland 3, Spain, Hungary and Romania each 2. Belgium, Finland, France, Italy and Portugal had each one finalist. The Ukrainian gymnast Kuksenkov (European Champion juniors) and the Russian Olennikov competed in 4 finals, the Greek Doulkeridis, the Russian Petrov and the German Woitalla in 3 finals.
Pommel horse:
1. Smith / GBR - 14.950 2. Petrov / RUS - 14.675 3. Olennikov / RUS - 14.625 4. Panchenko / UKR - 14.600 5. Truyens / BEL - 14.550 6. Malita / ROM - 14.200 7. Kuksenkov / UKR - 13.525 8. Ursache / ROM - 13.000

[May 6] EC Men’s Artistic Gymnastics in Volos: Russia is back !
UEG/ Three countries of Eastern European on the podium, Ukraine is 4th, and the four countries of Western Europe follow. This is the result of the Team Final of the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Russia is back on the highest step of the podium after its last victory in 2000. The competition was intense and very hard for the athletes as the scores were very close.
After six years of defeats, Russia has made an impressive return to European gymnastics. The complete change of their structure and of the staff taking care of the team was perhaps necessary to achieve this return. In a competition without major faults, the five Russians (Alexander Safoshkin, Anton Golotsutskov, Sergei Khorokhordin, Maxim Deviatovski and Anatoli Vasiliev) confirmed their good results at the qualifications. Russia ends on the first step of the podium with a total of 272.225 points (1.325 less than their total in competition I). Only Romania (winner of the editions 2002 and 2004) tried to keep up. But the five Romanian gymnasts (Marian Dragulescu, Dorin Razvan Selariu, Ilie Daniel Popescu, Alin Sandu Jivan, Flavius Koczi) had to fight hard for keeping the silver medal. After a catastrophic qualifying competition (7th place) the team fought hard and ended with a total of 270.325.
Final results: 1. Russia 272.225 2. Romania 270.325 3. Belarus 268.975 4. Ukraine 267.775 5. Italy 267.600 6. France 266.575 7. Germany 265.825 8. Switzerland 264.200
Marian Dragulescu has succeeded an exceptional vault routine: A score 7.00, B score 16.725 – the highest score given since the new Code of points is valid. (Thank you Swiss Timing for this statistics!). A routine right out of the manual (or DVD). The best total of the day for Romania on vault (49.300).
The best individuals per discipline: floor - Dragulescu 15.850; pommel horse - Busnari (ITA) 15.350; rings - Safoshkin (RUS) 16.225; vault - Dragulescu 16.725; bars - Cucherat (FRA) 15.900; high bar - Cassina (ITA) 15.625.
• The best teams per disciplines: floor – Romania 46.425; pommel horse – Germany 43.750; rings – Italy 45.850; vault – Romania 49.300; bars – Russia 45.200; high bar – Italy 45.475.

[May 6] Press Conference: Men's Team Final
   Marian Dragulescu (ROM): “We tried to defend our title, but unfortunately we won the second place. We need to train even more for the next European Championships. We also need to assimilate ourselves with the new Code of Points. Even though, today I succeeded the highest score on vault, today what matter most was the team’s performance, however I will be more than happy if I do it again tomorrow”. Aurelian Georgescu (ROM, coach): “All the teams had good routines. The organization was successful. We lost the first place. From now on we need to work harder, if we want to win the gold.”

[May 6] Russia wins men's gymnastics championships
AP/ VOLOS, Greece - Russia won the final of the European men's gymnastics championships on Saturday, beating defending champion Romania. Russia had 272.225 points, while Romania finished with 270.325. Belarus took bronze, and Ukraine edged Italy for fourth place. Marian Dragulescu of Romania scored a record 16.725 points on the vault, the highest since a new scoring system took effect this year after judging errors at the 2004 Athens Olympics. "We came here to take a medal, we achieved that. It's tough to defend a title," said Dragulescu, the world vault and European all-around champion.

 [May 6] Romanian gymnastics team status
Questions about Andreea Munteanu, from our Forum:
Does anyone know if she is coming back??? Or she is basically done? joman8390

I hope she get it done and will be a part of the Beijing team. She was so unlucky to get injured right before Athens.
Sputnik/ Trieste/Italy

The new Romanian gymnastics team head coach Nicolae Forminte shows much more respect for fans (and media), also by answering to their questions. Here is an update for the whole Romanian gymnastics team:
Steliana Nistor got medical clearance back in November 2005, after an eight months break; she competed at European Championships with only a 4-5 month training.
Andreea Munteanu got also medical clearance for training back in November 2005, after many time-outs from gym , for periods between 3 to 6 months. Since Athens games, she still trying to come back. She has started to train but after her back pains come back she have had to stop training; now she is thinking -she have to decide between going on or retiring. For the moment, she seems convinced to keep training for Worlds.
 Sandra Raluca Izbasa : OK... 

[May 5-6] TV alert: European Gymnastics Championships -Volos
Saturday : TVR2 / 15,30 -17,00 Live
                                 19,00- 19,55 Live
Sunday : TVR2       15,30 -20,00 Live (along with a soccer festivity)

Box Office Mojo: Close-Up: 'Stick It's Jessica Bendinger
Former model (catch a glimpse of her in the Merchant/Ivory production Slaves of New York), high school basketball star and entertainment journalist Jessica Bendinger took her latest role—first time feature director of Stick It—in stride. The woman who wrote the popular cheerleading movie, Bring It On, talked about writing the script, working in Hollywood and why she stopped competing in gymnastics.
Box Office Mojo: Why did you quit high school gymnastics?
Jessica Bendinger: I got too tall. I grew six inches and my center of gravity changed. I was devastated. I felt like I was being held back a grade. Today, I'm 5'11.
Box Office Mojo: Who's your favorite gymnast?
Jessica Bendinger: Oana Ban. She's a Romanian gymnast. She does really hard tricks and she flew in the face of the [Gymnastics] Federation.

[May 5] Cash prizes for the Romanian gymnastics team
Catalina Ponor will receive (on May 21) a cash prize from Constanta county Sport department, after her success at European Championships, informs Mediafax agency. Also the Romanian gymnastics team, currently training at Deva, was announced by local Prefecture that cash prizes will be awarded to the gymnasts for their good results at the European Championships: each girl will get $1,000 and the coaches $1,700.
The Romanian Sport Agency (ANS) officials didn't welcomed the girls at airport, contrary to their top officials "tradition" of welcoming at airport any athletes who returns with medals. The ANS cash prizes for the Romanian gymnastics team will be: for a Gold medal -$3,500; Silver- $2,000; Bronze- $1,500. Catalina Ponor and Sandra Izbasa will get $ 7,000 each.
At juniors team, the biggest prize will be received by Aluissa Bianca Lacusteanu - $ 2,500. If the ANS President will use his legal "permit" to double the amount given for a Gold medal, Catalina Ponor and Sandra Izbasa may get $ $10,000 each.

 [May 4] Nadia Comaneci has a new appearance at Romanian TV
...in a new ( & debated) advertising campaign. This new one is for a refinery, Rafo, from her hometown Onesti. Minutes ago, the Romanian all news channel Realitatea has aired first spot; a young gymnast can be seen performing, too. Press reports said she got like $ 250,000 for the appearance and an extra $10,000 for her charity contribution at Bucharest orphanage hospital being build by the Romanian Orthodox Church.

 [May 4] Romanian gymnastics fans about European Championships results
I bet that B&B wouldn't have sent a full team just like in 2002. They would have sent only Izbasa and Ponor to qualify for EF. ...And then just like in 2004, because of not having a full team, the Romanians would not compete in the last group at next TF Euros, so TV wouldn't broadcast them. I guess then that I'm happy that Forminte rebuilt a team, even if it had not the spark of the Amsterdam one. They did just very fine with their limited capacities.
Sri Ea /Egypt

I think euros results were just fine. Italians are just very good. And they had lots of luck too - I mean 0.1?! that really doesn't mean anything.
Manca /Slovenia

Just look at what happened at last years Worlds, with B&B the senior team got down to just two gymnasts! Now Nistor, Stanculescu, Stan have all being injured and they are coming back great. With B&B they'd have being finished. And despite the team is rebuilding, they won two golds, a team silver and two bronze. That is nothing to sneer at!
Queen Diva / New Zealand

I'm bothered that all Romanians that remotely showed any sort of charisma were broken down and discarded like trash. I hold BELTYU [Belu's nickname on the US biggest Forum] solely responsible for this and I am glad he is gone. I don't know how Forminte will do but he actually seems to care about his gymnasts and take's his time with them so they do over exert themselves. Also, the junior team seems to have a very competent choreographer. Whoever that is, I love their work. The juniors seem to move with the music and their dance is very appropriate to the music.
Socalguy76

I think we need to give Forminte more time to prove his worth as a National coach. I really like how he is developing the junior team and they did reasonably well at Euros despite so much upheavel in training last year. Deirdre/ Ireland

With Belu and Bitang Ponor would be retired ages ago.
Manca/ Slovenia

(Post your comments into our Forum or use our Contact page.)

 [May 3] Romanian gymnastics- good results at European Championships
Rompres/Press review/ Even if many said Romanian gymnastics will face a crisis after coaches Octavian Bellu and Mariana Bitang quit, good results continued to be reported, the Cotidianul says. The Romanian female team of five ranked first, with two gold, a silver and two bronze medals in the European Games in Volos, Greece.

  [May 2] Catalina Ponor likely to retire before World Championship
The Romanian gymnast said upon her return from Greece, where she participated at the European Championship, that she would most likely retire soon. "I did not change my mind about retiring. I am ninety percent sure that I will not compete. Returning to gymnastics after this European Championship seems improbable," said Ponor. The gymnast won gold in the beam event and bronze in the floor event at the European Championship. The Romanian team also won silver at the competition in Greece. Ponor said she was happy with the results. "I experienced a special moment after my beam routine, when everyone was cheering for me," said Ponor. Romanian gymnast Sandra Izbasa won gold in the floor event and bronze in the beam event. "One always wants better, but now I am content with my performance in Volos," said Izbasa.
The coach of the women's team, Nicolae Forminte said that he was at ease with the results at the European Championship, as they won the number of medals they planned. "The seniors won two gold medals, a silver medal and two bronze at the European Championship, just like we promised: each gymnast won a medal," said Forminte. The coach emphasized that he was not entirely happy. "This does not mean I am content with the results, I will never be content. We are preparing for the World Championship and, as always, the next competition is always the most difficult," added Forminte.
   
   [May 1] Romanian movie in NY: THE DEATH OF MR. LAZARESCU
The hero, known in full as Dante Remus Lazarescu, is an unregenerate but oddly lovable mess. A resident of Bucharest, Mr. Lazarescu (Ion Fiscuteanu) regularly drinks some sort of home-brewed poison that looks like liquid wood soap. His wife is dead, and he lives with three smelly cats that he loves.

  [May 1] Romania wins silver at European Championship
Romanian gymnast Catalina Ponor said Saturday that she cried in the locker room after her team only received silver at the European Gymnastics Championship in Greece. "After the finals I cried in the locker rooms because we were very close to gold," said Ponor who announced that she would retire after the competition.
Italy came first with a total of 175.225 points, with Romania second on 175.125. Russia was third with 173.375. President of the Romanian Gymnastics Federation, Adrian Stoica said Saturday that Romania only won silver at the European Championship due to various mistakes. The Romanian Gymnastics Federation official said that he was proud of the junior team that also received silver at the competition. The Romanian junior women's gymnastics team ranked first place in the vault event and second in the beam and floor events. Alissa Lacusteanu received a gold in the floor event for the Romanian juniors' team in the individual competition on Sunday. Lacusteanu also won bronze in the beam event and her teammate, Andreea Grigore, won silver.

 [April 30] Good Bye, Golden Team!
After the official announcement of today's Catalina Ponor retreat, the 2004 Athens Romanian gymnastics Golden Team is entering...history of gymnastics. Thank you! Catalina Ponor ,   Daniela Sofronie ,   Monica Rosu ,
  Alexandra Eremia ,   Oana Ban   ,   Silvia Stroescu and   Andreea Munteanu !
Also congratulations to their coaches, Main coach: Octavian Belu
 coach Mariana Bitang ,  coach Nicolae Forminte and coach Lucian Sandu .
A Romanian gymnastics fan, Nade from Australia, made the best video montage for this occasion, "Good bye, Golden Team" -video montage, click to see .

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