Meet the gymnasts competing at the Glasgow World Cup this coming weekend. With world and European medalists in attendance, and the competition being the first major International event of 2016 for all, we will get out first look at how these ladies are shaping up for the run up to Rio.
The event takes place at the Emirates Arena, and the BBC is continuing their growing commitment to gymnastics in Great Britain by showing Saturdays’s entire competition on the red button, then highlights on Sunday on BBC2.
As the host nation, Great Britain is entitled to field two gymnasts for the event. World Team bronze medalist Kelly Simm was scheduled to compete alongside Claudia Fragapane, but injury meant she is unable to compete at this time. Kelly is on the mend, and hopes to be back for the British Championships in just a few weeks time. Far better to take all the recovery time she needs and miss this one, in order to be at full strength later in the year.
Also originally listed was China’s Xie Yufen who is now out of both the Glasgow, and Stuttgart World Cups. I am not sure of her status, but if she is also injured, wish her a speedy recovery.
Eighteen year old Claudia needs little introduction to British fans. Four time Commonwealth gold medalist, reigning European silver medalist on floor, and World team bronze medalist as well as floor finalist just a few months ago, this will be Claudia’s first competition of 2016. Back in Glasgow once again, back in front of a home crowd, we get to see the second of our senior stars step back on to the competition floor following the winter break.
Nineteen year old Madison replaces injured team mate Megan Chant who will hopefully also make a speedy recovery. Madison has competed twice at the Pam American Games, and took the silver with her team in 2015. She was also reserve for the Glasgow worlds team, and only last weekend was part of the bronze medal winning team at the International Gymnix.
Seventeen year old Maria was a member of the fourth placed Russian team at the 2015 world championships. Maria is the reigning Russian AA champion, and European silver medalist. In 2014 she took the European beam title, and bronze with her team at the world championships.
* As of today (11/03/16) Maria is no longer on the roster to compete in Glasgow. This is due to an administrative error outside the UK.
Eighteen year old Enus is a beautiful gymnast, and was a very strong and successful junior taking the Junior European AA title in 2012. After such a great start, she unfortunately struggled with injury, and was forced to take thirteen months out. It has been great to see her return to competition, and having been originally named reserve, an injury to one of her teammates saw her compete at the world championships in 2015 helping the team to their 7th place finish , and a place at the Rio Olympics.
Twenty two year old Elizabeth is a veteran of high level competition. She is the 2011 European AA silver medalist, has competed at three world championships, the most recent of which last year, she placed 10th in the AA, and also the the 2012 Olympic Games in London where she qualified for the bars final and placed 6th. Elizabeth was also a member of the German team that took the silver medal at the 2015 European Games in Baku.
Nineteen year old Mykayla is now in her third year on the US national team. She really broke through at the Pan Am Games in 2014 taking team, AA, vault and floor golds, the reward being a place on the world championship team. Gold with the team and bronze on vault at 2014 worlds, in 2015 Mykayla was reserve for the US team in Glasgow, and as such received her second world championship gold medal.
Twenty year old Asuka is another veteran of high level international competition. Four world championships and an Olympic Games to her name, Asuka has now contested four major team finals, and helped her country qualify a full team for Rio at the Glasgow world championships. She is the reigning Japanese AA champion, and took three silvers at the 2015 Universiade.
Twenty two year old Vera comes in as a replacement for teammate Lieke Wevers who is recovering from illness. Im sure you will all join me in hoping Lieke fully recovers in time to compete for Holland at the test event in Rio. Vera has twice been Dutch AA champion, and has competed twice at the world championships, as well as being reserve for the Glasgow 2015 team.
Good luck to all the gymnasts competing.