Little Gymnast Results
The “Little Gymnast” Men’s Championships, a national competition featuring gymnasts from the beginning levels was hosted by the Horia Demian gym in Cluj this past week-end. Cluj’s lone representative, Alex Vaida from CSM Cluj, won 4 medals in the individual apparatus finals. The gymnast coached by Gabriela Coman, Adrian Coman and Bogdan Ursa managed to win a medal in all the event finals he qualified for, taking gold on vault, silver on pommel horse and parallel bars, and bronze on high bar. In an individual ranking list based on the number of medals won, Alex finished 3rd, after CSS Timisoara’s Cosmin Velea (Andreea Velea’s brother, I would assume) who won 4 golds, and Alexandru Iordache from CSS Sf. Gheorghe, who won 2 gold and 2 bronze medals.
Out of the 63 gymnasts who competed in the all-around event, Alex Vaida placed 7th in that phase of the competition, establishing himself as a worthy successor to Ciprian Veres, recently crowned as bronze medallist on rings at the Junior European Championships. Cirprian Veres dedicated his medal to his first coach Lucian Grindean, who has sadly passed away.
CSS Sf. Gheorghe won the team event, followed by CSS Sibiu and CSS Resita. We should note the excellent organization of the event thanks to the RGF and local YSD. Suffice to say setting up and taking apart the apparatus didn’t take longer than 4 hours and all the gymnasts and journalists received a complete list of results within 5 minutes of the last event. It’s too bad only 100 spectators or thereabout attended the competition, hosted inside a 2000-seat gym.
The 500 spectators who attended the women’s competition hosted by CSS Deva cheered the home team to victory. Their team total of 186.775 pts was good enough for first place. Deva's team was composed of Alina Glavan, Ioana Hedesiu, Denisa Dan, Corina Ginsca, Flavia Popa, Alexandra Ghita, coached by Adela Popa, Dana Gruitoiu, Gheorghe Orban and Cristian Enoiu, Corina Doreanu -choreographer. CSS Deva was followed by CSS7 Dinamo (182. 650) and Nadia Comaneci Sports High School- CSM Onesti (182.100).
CSS Cetate Deva swept the all-around medals after a close competition, with final results posted below
1. Alexandra Ghita (38.375 )
2. Flavia Popa (38.050)
3. Corina Ginsca (37.550).
In the event finals, Alexandra Ghita and Corina Ginsca tied for second place on vault, behind Ioana Zanfir from CSM Onesti. Alexandra Ghita won the uneven bars with a score of 9.70, while Corina Ginsca took fist place on beam with a 9.525. Flavia Popa (CSS Cetate Deva - 9.475) won the silver medal on beam. Floor was the most spectacular event, where CSS Deva emerged on top yet again with Alexandra Ghita scoring a 9.600 on her way to a gold medal. Three gymnasts tied for second place, Roxana Serbanescu (Dinamo Bucuresti), Andreea Acatrinei (CSM Onesti) and Flavia Popa (CSS Cetate Deva), all of them with a score 9.500.
The judging of the event went off without a hitch, under the watchful eye of head judge Professor Maria Raicu Gonczi. No contestations were filed during the entire event. The gymnasts from the higher levels are getting ready for the National Championships finals, scheduled to take place June 23-25 in Constanta.
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