The more the days pass, the closer we get to THE big deadline, the more each detail, each result, each incident takes on density. Also when Marine Boyer found herself face down following a fall during her exit on the uneven bars during qualifying for the European Championships, “I immediately thought of the Games”, did she say. Staying on the ground for a long time, she tested each of her limbs to see if there was any injury. Valiant, she got up and made her exit again before putting in a very good performance on the balance beam (13.8 points, 3rd), her strong apparatus.
Asia D’Amato was not so lucky. The Italian immediately hit her knee at the end of that damn diagonal on the ground. He had just given up like last year during the World Cup in Cairo. She will not be European champion in front of her audience. Her twin sister, Alice, watched her walk past in tears, carried in the arms of their coach. Immediately, the Italian staff came to see Alice D’Amato so that she remained focused despite this twist of fate. The young girl managed to put aside her emotion to achieve the best score in the competition on the uneven bars. She thus won, between joy and sadness, a magnificent silver medal.
The Rimini Fiera was then incandescent because Manila Esposito maintained his lead on this final event. Thus, in the absence of the reigning European champion, the British Jessica Gadirova, or the French Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos, the twins’ training companion went to win the victory for an Italian double. Already, European vice-champion last year with the Italian team and on the balance beam, her specialty, this Neapolitan became the 3rd European champion in the history of Italian gymnastics, After Vanessa Ferrari in 2007 and therefore Asia d’Amato in 2022. The Englishwoman Alice Kinsella, who admitted to having almost stopped gymnastics, completes the podium.
“happy to enter top 10, or even top 8 in Europe. (…) It gives me confidence for the future”
Morgane Osyssek, 7th overall
The best Frenchwoman overall is Morgane Osyssek, who obtained a good ranking, 7th (13th last year), although she did not tempt the devil but nevertheless tested a new jump. “I am happy with the general but not satisfied either, I know that I can do better, especially 12.8 on beamshe affirmed. But coming out at 52 points with a less than perfect match isn’t so bad. Happy to enter top 10, or even top 8 in Europe. After the (Championships) world, it’s nice to do a big competition again where I succeed in all my movements. In addition, I try things from right to left, I added the double tension (on the ground)I try a new tsuk jump (ahara). It gives me confidence for the future. »
Coline Devillard finished first in the vault and will therefore be in the final, as will Ming Gherardi Van Eijken, 2nd in these qualifications. “Our contract is fulfilled” believes Devillard. The young Ming Gherardi Van Eijken, 16, successfully integrated into the France collective by also qualifying for the floor final alongside Osyssek. “The objective, already, was to do a good lap to help the team qualify for Sunday, after that, it’s just a bonus, the rest”, modestly explained the young resident of the Saint-Étienne center. Marine Boyer, for her part, recovered from her emotions, qualified for the beam final and finished 11th overall. The French, 3rd in the team qualifications, are there. The Italians on the podium.
