Women's European Championship Gymnastics: European Championships

Holmes. Rebecca Adlington is bringing it

home to Britain. COMMENTATOR: Great Britain get the

gold medal! Kelly Holmes, what a performance! Absolutely

breathtaking. Great Britain takes the Women's European Gymnastics

Championships. The women will be competing for

five titles in the team and four individual apparatus finals. There

is no all-around competition in the year of the Olympics. This is the

last major championships before London 2012. Great Britain's men

and women have qualified with full teams. The women during an

emotional and nail-biting scene in last year's championships in Tokyo.

The captain of our women's team for the last ten years has been three

time a world champion and six times a European champion, Beth Tweddle.

Let's remind ourselves of how brilliant she is.

COMMENTATOR: Fabulous performance from Beth Tweddle. Absolutely

phenomenal. The Gold Medal has gone to Beth

Tweddle. What a dismount! Beth Tweddle takes

the gold. Beth, with over two months to go to

the Olympics. A lot of people will be surprised to see you are not

competing at the European Chips what's has been going on? I had a

bit of pain in the knee, as a precaution I was scanned. He had a

tear that had folded, so they had to take the decision to operate.

That decision was not taken lightly, but it was the best decision with

the Olympics so close. Did you see the Olympic dreams

disappearing when you heard the news? I was devastated. I thought I

was missing out on the Europeans and possibly the Olympics, but they

assured me it was fairly straightforward and I would be back

in a day or two. So far it is going well. I am on the bars and I've

started jogging. It will is good news, obviously it is hard to watch

the team. What is it like as a spectator, you

are here as a supporting role? Amanda asked me to come out and

watch. I made the decision to come out here and support the girls.

They would do the same for me. It is nice to be here for them.

There are new faces in the team. Let's meet the girls going for a

medal in Brussels. Hi, I'm Jennifer Pinchin. I am

almost 18 years old from Derbyshire. Jenny is a consistent member of the

team and you can rely on her for a good performance. Even though she

is just 17 years of age, she's been a part of the Great Britain set up

since she was nine. In some ways you could say she is is a veteran.

I am TDanisha Francis. 2011 was Danisha's qualifying year.

She helped us to qualify to earn us the all-important Olympics spot.

She is a lively character and keeps the team's spirit up.

Hi, I'm Hannah Whelan. I'm 19 years old from Chester.

Hannah Whelan went to the Olympics in 2008, but was the baby of the

team being just 16 years of age. Four years later, she is the team

leader in Brussels. She is the most consistent member of the team and

today doing all four apparatus to help the team achieve that medal.

I'm Ruby Harrold, I'm 15-year-old from Churchill near Bristol.

Ruby Harrold was the first person up for the team in qualification.

Never an easy task, but produced a solid performance, earning her win

the bar final and helping us to qualify as the team.

Hi, I'm Rebecca Tunney. Rebecca Tunney trains with me. With

this being her first senior debut, she has done well in qualification

and scored top on vault and individual as a final and on the

floor. Keep an eye out for her this summer and in Rio in 2016.

So, the rotation one sees the top qualifier Romania starting on the

vault. The Russians are on the beam and Great Britain are on the A bars.

Three gymnasts go from each country. Every score counts.

Mitch Fenner is with me. Catalina Ponor. The three-time

Olympic champion in 2004. She retired, but she is back in the

Romanian team and what a strong character she is.

She is a great vaulter. Loaded that double twisting vault around. One

of the most difficult. She make it is look easy. Watch the

shoulder dip down and rolls it around. A little scruffy around the

legs, but easy for her. Poking it up hard, pushing the shoulder down

and keeping the twist. Catalina Ponor. The first vault for

Romania with two to go. Sandra Raluca Izbasa, the current

European vault champion. She really makes gymnastics look

easy, doesn't she? She hits the top of the platform, rockets into the

air and floats down. No bouncing around on landing.

She seems to have specialised in every piece as she has gotten older.

That measured approach, accelerating like a long-jumper.

Look at that. High into the air. The third and final performance on

the beam for Russia. This is Victoria Komova. She was silver in

the world all-round. Last year it was the beam that let her down. So,

will she come a cropper here on it? She recovered well. Two super lay-

out somersaults. Every skill she performs well.

The Arabian somersault. She is so secure in her work. Two lovely

jumps. It does not matter how well you perform the skill. It is how

you finish. Here comes the spin. As I said it, that is what she did not

do. She did not hold the finishing position.

Recovered well. She has lost a little bit of

confidence. Those elements should vn Lynned one after the other. --

should have been linked one after double tuck and a super landing.

That was a fighting performance. It was, but you don't want to see

that sort of fight. Usualally there is is a spark and ease there. It is

a struggle, it seems, for Victoria Komova.

Now, that was well done. Finishing in a handstand. The turn a little

ugly with the legs past the low bar, but good invert action. Speeding up

into the double straight dismount. Efficient bar work.

She will be followed by Vanessa Ferrari.

Very accurate work. Lots of swing in the trance fer.

There is that turn in handstand that Chris was so impressed with.

So would anybody. Fasana, the first Italian gymnast

on the bars. There is Vanessa Ferrari congratulating her.

18 years old. She was third on vault at the World

Championships in 2009. That popped out beautifully.

One-and-a-half twists. Almost overcooked it, but so light

a touch. A lovely lift and style.

So, Youna Dufournet, a good result. Because of Beth Tweddle, she has

become known for her A bars, but the British team have been doing

her proud. So, Romania lead. France are second

ahead of Great Britain in third. Russia are down in fifth.

So, Jennifer, Danisha and Hannah Whelan.

This is a tough job for Jenny. This is her first feel of the arena. The

together. It is a lot of difficulty. You have to take your eyes off the

beam. Now, that is tough. She still has a

lot of difficulty to go. She needs to keep her concentration.

The side somersault. Fighting on that one.

The change leg with half a turn. Now she's going for a big dismount.

She has to build the power through the two back flips, one flip, two

flips, a double pike. What a shame. A relatively easy skill for her,

she did not quite set it correctly. It is amazing. She's been working

so well. Such a pity, but the rest of it is impressive.

Now the second of Russia's gymnasts. 17 years old.

A dramatic flourish to set it up. This is vital for her team.

The double tuck that skips out but under control. Lots of power

through the flip. Two-and-a-half twists, a full twist that squeezes

performance so far. You could see the expectation was weighing at the

start. But this is very impressive. Look at that, drifting through the

she going to do here? Twiple twist and bounced and lurched to one side.

That will be expensive too. European champion in the all round

from two years ago does her best to help Russia claw their way back up

the standings. But they don't seem to be making much of an impact.

Very smooth from the low bar to the high. Just a small split of the

legs. Now that was good. Straight arms. Clean with that pirouette.

Another high release. She's linking the skills well, isn't she? One

difficulty straight into the next. That's how the difficulty builds,

that's how she gets her start score up. Another pirouette, straight

into a full twisting double back. Really good solid performance.

liked what you saw there, you can see it again many the bars final if

you lake. Always on bars you Bonn dered whether Romania would go

through, but this is the sort of work that was fluid and confident -

- wondered. It had that attack. Doesn't seem to be happening for

Italians usually very good gymnasts on the beam. Lovely, supple work

there. Takes her head right back. Free walkover. Just a pause before

she goes into the backflip and layout somersault. That time, the

leap linked to the tuck back. All these moves added together, the

most difficult eight moves added together, to give the gymnast start

value. Hi front somersault stamps it out. Just the slightest

hesitation. She's setting herself up here for the dismount. A hurdle

step into her roundoff double pike. Well negotiated. Youna Dufournet on

the bars. French gymnast. Qualified third for the bars final. Looking

to post a big score here. Very difficult skill to do this. She

dragged into the hand stand a little bit. Slightly faltering on

the start, but now she's picking it up beautifully. Lots of height in

the transfer pack. That was clean with time. She's away now. Oh, and

she's clattered into the bar. What a pity. She faltered at the start

and then got it together again and then that problem. Double layer

beautifully done, but what a shame. It seems all the top teams are

having a blip somewhere. So maybe Great Briton's may not be too

costly. -- great Britain's may not be too costly.

Youna Dufournet. That is a big score with a fall. There is

confirmation then that Romania are way out in the lead. A mark and a

half above Italy. Let's see what Beth Tweddle thinks at the half way

stage. She's with Alison Mitchell. Had a great start on the bars. It's

nerve-racking, but Ruby held her own and we had a really good set.

We had a couple of errors, so we are going to have to rely on others

to make errors. Unfortunately, Italy are three marks ahead of us,

so they've made a tough task for themselves but it's never over

until the end. When you have a fall off the beam, how hard is it to get

back on and complete the routine? It's hard to get back up, but at

the end of the day that's what we do in draining, if you fall, you

get back up and carry on. They know that it all matters. The difference

between one medal could be a tenth. They know they fall once there's

nothing they can do. If they get back up and prove they'll f they've

still got it in them; then who knows. Aliya Mustafina. Waiting to

go on vault. The Russians, they were less than a mark outside of

the medals at the last rotation, so they are making a comeback.

Starting to sense a little bit of fire in the belly now. A chase-in.

Musmus. Can she put Russia into the medals? - Aliya Mustafina. That was

a lovely vault. And the smile is back on her face. That's the way to

do it! Well, this is lovely to see. If this is the gymnast who damaged

her knee at the last European 15 years old. Qualified for the

Brilliant qualification. But it's a big ask to do it all again second

day. Watch this. Whip into double Arabian. Huge tumble. Carries a big

tariff. Now she needs to be as fast as she can here. Twisting, double

pike, great landing. Very acrobatic and-a-half twists cleanly up into

big final tumble. The round up, flip and double pike. She has? A

little skip and a lovely smile. She knows that was a great performance.

Great Britain are relying on the youngsters here to keep them in

contention. She's bright and confident all the way through. Give

us some details, Chris? That was her second tumble for twisting

double back now. Rebecca Tunney is from the great Liverpool Gymnastic

Club coached by Claire Duffy and that was a lovely twist. Just when

you need to assert your authority, beam. Huge difficulty start with

the changed leg leap to ring, head went right back -- 2004. Superb

double spin. Both those skills given D and E difficulty. Very nice

half turn to walk out. Straight into the backflip and layout

somersault. She moved so fast. Links the skills, she almost

doesn't give the time for a wobble. Keeps moving, keeps working. Arms

are fluent and beautiful. Three quarter turn into hand stand.

Almost uncanny isn't it that you can have all that movement and kill

it in a hand stand position? Still beautifully supple. Just when the

team needed it, the gymnast before having made a fall, big dismount,

double pike. What a performance for your team. You could almost bet

that that is what would have happened when she finished, but

absolutely remarkable performance. Such an extraordinary gymnast when

you think she came back from retirement and won her place back

on the team, rightly so. It was virtuoso, no doubt about it. She

performed all the elements with such confidence. Lovely to see it.

Catalina Ponor. Absolutely massive score. Carlotta Ferlito. Italy.

This was their best piece of apparatus in qualification, so

but I don't think it quite got round. I think she left her feet

behind a little bit. That's a good, picked up very well after two

apparatus. Double twist. This is important. Maybe a little bit early

Almost buckled. Well, some errors there. How costly will they be?

They were in second ahead of France. Will they stay there? Youna

but steady on beam. That's such an important factor in this

competition in the chase for medals. Leaving the leg behind there,

the arms. And really this is what you need at this stage. You've got

to stay in command and in control. She's delivering the goods. Setting

almost lost it. She did so well to get hold of that at the end. Now,

how costly will that dismount be? There was at least four paces?

0.8 I think, yes. Not quite as much as a fall, will you -- fall, but

very nearly. Now we have Britain. Only competed a sing until

qualifying. Went for the big double twisting vault. First time out at a

major Championships. That was fabulous from Ruby. Nothing wrong

with her head then, focused. scored a 14 hadn't 566 for that

vault. -- 14.566 for that vault. Catalina Ponor. They've relied on

her in this Championships. It's the confidence that she exudes. Such a

security blanket for the rest of the team. Starts with an amazing

spin. But she's got lots of power as well. Lovely double straight.

Strong powerful music. Look at that! Full and back out, back

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

these gymnasts. A super triple Olympic champion on the floor back

in 2004. It looks like it is all still there.

A great final double pike. Romania have blown us away with

their gymnastics. I tell you what, roll on London 2012! Victoria

Komova, from Russia. The current world champion on this

piece of apparatus. The highest qualifier as well. This

is the bars final. Christine said it. They would love

to finish off with this apparatus. Beautiful.

Lots of flight and height and swing. The full turn. Beautifully done.

There is a pace to this, it is control, it is measured and that is

the way to finish it. What a beautiful performance.

Have they done enough for silver? Can they go ahead of Italy? If the

Romanians are the masters on beam, the Russians are on beam.

Catalina Ponor scoring 14.733. The job now falling to Jordache.

Two twists, two somersaults, double, double. Superb tumbling! Full

backed pike. So far, so light. She was their top junior last year.

She has just moved up a gear into the senior level. A whip into the

triple. There's the spin as well. Four turns in there. This has been

constant movement for a minute-and- a-half.

It has to be a really fit gymnast to perform like this and still have

a big tumble to finish. A double tuck.

Well, she posted the highest floor score in qualification. All she

needs here is 14 .2 82. I think we are looking at the

European champions, Mitch, don't you? Amazing, but you wonder. You

have seen great performances, but how she finished.

The shoulders up. Really sets it up beautifully.

Up in the rafters. Lovely work. It is 15.033. Larisa Andreea

Iordache has sealed for them. What a great display of beautiful

gymnastics from the Romanian team. Now, if you ask me, this is

pressure. Do your best to land it, you've got

a medal. 17 years old. The third piece today, Carlotta

Ferlito. How important this piece is. That is good enough! Look at

the smile! Wonderful! A great job. 17 marks to get over Great Britain

here. A very nice double tuck.

A classy performance. Romania take the gold. Russia

clawed back over two-and-a-half marks on the bars to take the

silver and Italy, after a fighting performance take the bronze. Great

Britain are pushed outside of the medals in fourth, but ahead of

France, Belgium get the top finish. Hannah you finished outside of the

medal in fourth. Tell us how you feel about the performance? I'm a

little disappointed. Mainly for my routines. I was not on form today,

but I'm really proud of everyone. As I say, we have all work sod hard.

It is a shame, but this makes us stronger.

Jenny, when there are mistakes are you relying on other countries to

slip up to stay in the medal hopes? Obviously we can do our job and

focus on what we are doing. Everyone is going to do their best.

We are all concentrating on our routines. Not on what has gone on

before them. My performance does affect the team, so I feel

responsible. There is no point feeling regrets. We know we can up

our game. That makes us so exciting to watch. Anything can happen on

the day. Fourth is still an achievement to be proud of for our

team. It is a great experience for the Olympics.

Ruby Harrold, you were first up on the bar, you must have been pleased

with the performance? Yes, I was pleased. A little slip-up.

How do you feel about going into the final on the bars? It is great.

I know that I can learn from my mistakes and do a good job tomorrow.

Danusia Francis, you have done a good job today? Yes. I'm really

happy with myself and the team. Is there a disappointment to have

missed out on the medals having qualified there? A little bit of a

disappointment but I'm really proud of us.

Rebecca, how about you, the first senior champions.

Yeah, it is a really great experience. A little disappointed

to be out of the medals, but happens. We have a big future ahead

of us. It should be great. First of all, Beth how was that

watching from the stands? It was so hard. When you are on the floor you

can put a little control on what is going on. If people are getting too

ahead of themselves you can calm them down, if they are having a

hard time, you can gee them up again. Obviously there is only so

much I can do from the audience. What was the impression of the

girls, what they did? Obviously they did really well. They had a

few problems, but they did not let their chins down. To finish fourth

with the errors is still an amazing achievement.

How well did Rebecca and Ruby do? Great. They are two 15-year-olds,

shoved into the limelight. Obviously they are both nervous,

but they held their own. They were out there to compete.

And those scores! They just wanted to prove themselves. It is a big

year for them. They want to show that they can be there with the

rest of the seniors. What do the next couple of months

hold for the girls? The next couple of months are difficult. We have

trial after trial and then the team is announced on the 4th of July. So

the first trial is next sat. There is not a lot of time finishing here

for their minds to go down and then pick themselves up again. It is

difficult at a major championships. You are giddy and high, you need a

couple of days to come down. Then they have to pick themselves up.

And Romania, they were outstanding, but Russia? The competition today

was a lot closer than what we expected. It is great to see that

Romania are back up there. Two years ago we managed to beat them

into the silver position. But they have upped their game.

They want that Olympic title and want to be in the pod yums with

medals. Beth, you have been injured how do

you feel? It is not easy. You are training very hard. Sometimes my

coach is motivating me. If I am thinking myself why am I doing this,

I remember the days when I was today stood on the podium. It is

the most aphasing feelings. That is what gets you out of bed.

Now, it is time to turn our attention to the apparatus finals,

here in Brussels. The highest qualifier for the vault

final was the remarkable Shi v -- Oksana Chusovitina.

COMMENTATOR: Here is Oksana Chusovitina for the team...

COMMENTATOR: A double twisting. Oksana Chusovitina.

COMMENTATOR: Oksana Chusovitina is looking for another Olympic medal.

COMMENTATOR: Here she goes, look at the power. Whack! One-and-a-half

twists. COMMENTATOR: Look at that. An

ambassador for the sport. So, the start list of the vaulters.

Defending her title is Sandra Raluca Izbasa. She will do her best

three of the finals today. Nicely landed. She will be happy

with that opening vault. For a 6 .3 difficulty she made it

look easy. It is so important to get a good

secure vault. If it is typical, into the locker.

Look at that lots of pop from the top of the horse.

I don't think she did the complete vault. The double twisting is only

a 5.8. This has to go on differently this

time. She turns on the side. A lovely vault.

The round-off. A pike somersault with the half turn off.

A good, hard plank. Slightly to the side.

So, 14 scored. The second vault gives her an average of 14 .2 66.

Sandra Raluca Izbasa. The current European Vaulting

Champion. The current Olympic Floor Champion.

There she is. She made the half turn. That was very good.

It is a difficult vault to land. She seemed a little short.

A difficult but beautiful style. She turns on. So she makes the

round-off. She turns on, half turn on, straight from a somersault with

full twist. Really complex. You have to be really aware spairbally.

-- spacially. That, so much energy! Nice and

clean. It is amazing how she has

specialised as she has gotten older. Hits, lifts, two twists, legs

locked together dead centre. That was lovely vaulting. I would have

thought she might squeeze the extra half twist in by the Olympics. That

would make her competitive with the best vaulters in the world.

So, 14.49. Is it close? It is. That's the average.

She scored 14.866. Now, Oksana Chusovitina.

A gymnast more than keen to make for gold here. Such a difficult

vault. Explodes off. The hand spring straights up, somersault

with heavy twist was heavily piked down but very well completed.

She really had to work to get that round. Pulled it in tight. She

really has to work. Running out of this stage. Another determined

approach. This time she turns on. One-and-a-half twists off. Powerful

vaulting. No trouble at all finding her way round through the twists

and lands very much upright. A very good vault indeed. One-and-a-half

twists, made to look very, very easy. Has she done enough to go

ahead? She hasn't. It's silver. Valeriia Maksiuta competing for

Israel. Another purposeful run. Nice and high in the double twist.

Just lost the legs a little bit. The judges have a big deduction for

the chest being down on landing. Her feet come down and her chest is

pointing to the ploor. -- floor. Vault number two. And she really

was late getting that twist in. A little bit flat off the top of the

horse there. She did so well. lovely lift off the top. She hits,

lifts and waits and whips in the twist. Good job she did get the

feet down, because if they don't go first, it's a zero. An average

score there of 14.57 puts Maksiuta into third at the moment. -- 14.5.

Giulia Steingruber finishes off this vault final. She qualified

third. Can't write this young lady off. Look at that. Plenty of

rotation. Too much in fact. That will be quite costly. Five to eight

tenths possibly. She's put up for a tariff of 6-3, which is the

straight front somersault with the one-and-a-half twist. Her legs were

quite piked. That's the highest score we've seen so far. So

Steingruber I think going for a 56.2 so needs the execution here.

So important that this is almost perfect. That'll do I think. Not

difficult. Just the single twist. Most people pike in and kick out

straight to make the twists, but she was piked all the way there.

She turns on and then makes the full twist off. I think they'll

give it as a straight full twist but it will be heavily deductible.

The pike is quite simply a bend in the body. She's in third. There is

a European champion, Sandra Isb - Beth, you must be having mixed

emotions at the moment because you are about to see your European

title go to somebody else and there's nothing you can do about

it? It's quite difficult. I brought a new routine out this year and was

looking forward to doing that, but it was not meant to be and I'll

have to save it for the summer. different is your routine? Skill-

wise it hasn't changed much. I put a difficult dismount in. What do

you mean the difficult dismount?! normally do a do believe somersault

but now I have a double somersault with two twists, it's taken me a

while to get it into my routine. Has that had anything to do with

your injury? They don't think so. I've only recently being doing the

dismount. We have Komova going in this. Do you think she's the

favourite? Yes, but you have also got Dufournet who has the potential

to be up there. And Grishina, the new up and coming Russian. She'll

be there to challenge Komova. Ruby Harrold from Great Britain is

just outside the medal contention? She's got the difficulty similar to

some of the top ones, so if she can go clean and steady, she has the

chance to go in for a medal. are going to be talking us through

some of these routines so let's see who else is competing in the final.

Victoria Komova, world champion, Ruby Harrold will be going seventh

as well. But don't rule out Youna Dufournet either. And Grishina.

Youna Dufournet, eighth in the World Championships last year. The

third highest qualifier here. Dufournet has a huge bar routine

capable of great things but also mistakes. There, the forward

element she has to have in. Straight up into this pirouette and

that's so typical. Goes for broke. Wrong way on the full pirouette up

into the beautiful move, slowly down to the low bar, smoothly up to

the high bar. Moving from one to the other with ease. Now watch for

this. That was smoothly done. Really winds up well and the lovely

double straight really holds the shape right to the end. Beth, you

reacted to that before it happened, you could see that coming. What

went wrong? You can see and she'll know when she's doing the turn that

it wasn't quite right, but she was going for broke, she knew she had

one of the most difficult routines and if it hit perfectly, she could

walk away with the title. I would have played a bit more safe and

maybe just gone to go over the bar, especially because the last two

competitions she hasn't been able to go from beginning to end without

a mistake. Victoria Komova, current world bars champion. Silver

medallist. She's the gymnast with lots of time on the apparatus.

Lovely lift to the high bar, back to the low. She seems to be able to

give herself that extra bit of time. Look how she floated. See the hand

stand. No doubt that was a hand stand. She balanced there. Lots of

time in the air on the front somersault. Every hand stand peaked.

Of course, a bit of a split of the legs. And just a little loose there

with the feet. Giving a few tenths away. Each time past the low bar.

But a huge dismount and really the first part of that routine was

pretty faultless. Amazing. She had a slight loss of leg form half way

through but the hand stands were pretty much holding and balancing,

which is what the judges areliking for. Especially when you have

someone of Komova's class and style. She's got flight in the releases,

Quick hand stand quickly into the pirouette. Made the link well. Low

bar. Back up to the high bar. Split of the legs. Low back swing. But

she's moving well. Front somersault. Very difficult combination. Really

swinging well here. Lovely double back. What a shame that she took

the second step. She spotted a possible opening on the medal

podium and went for it, Beth? release had an arm length. Her

coach was really happy with that. She made bar final a couple of

years ago with me in Brum and she medalled there, so she knows what

it's like to be in the final. gone into second place. Look at the

difficulty, 6.7. Well, two gymnasts to go. The penultimate is Ruby

Harrold from Great Britain. 15 years old. First year of senior

Euros. Her coach moving the board, hops into a huge yaeger somersault,

lots of energy. Here we have the full pirouette. Down to the low bar.

This is her original combination. Up to the high bar and back to the

low bar with the full turn. Well negotiated. Very difficult. Now she

has to make another half turn. She's made it. Really swinging well.

Important she makes this next half turn. Oh, Ruby! Wow, she went for

the dismount but she will have lost a bit of form at the top there.

Beth was living every single inch of that routine! That was hard to

watch because I'm normally stood next to the bars cheering her along

and I was worried that I was going to blurt something out so I had to

move the mic away. This next combination, straict into the turn

which I don't think many of the girls are doing this. That is the

one bit that sometimes she struggles with in training --

straight into the turn. Nice straight arms here. You can see the

concentration in her eyes. The whole time she'll beliking at that

bar so she can see exactly where she's going. Unfortunately, this

where it slightly went. The fact she was able to go straight into

the dismount shows how well she knows the dismount. In your absence,

she did Britain proud on the bars? Oh, she did, yes. Look at that

score! Ruby Harrold in sixth. The last gymnast to go, Anastasia

Grishina. The second highest qualifier. What is going to happen

to the medals after this? Competition right to the end. They

are all watching nervously. Lovely hand stand start. With the half

turn, the big high jaeger somersault piked. The trademark of

hitting the hand stand. The pike catcher, very difficult. Straight

into the next move. All the moves have their own tariff. Very clean.

Straight into the twisting double back. She's not giving much away

there. That was speedy as well and powerful. She certainly meant

business there, Beth? Komova will be watching anxiously with that.

There's the stoop half, straight into the pike, the jaeger,

everything was high. You can see the coach sets in just in case.

There's the pike catch, slightly close on landing so she has to bend

the arms into the pack. But because she's so confident, she is still

able to go. The thumbs are round the bar to make sure she's got hold

of the bar. Straight into the release and catch. Straight into

the dismount. Perfect landing. Grishina has got silver. There's

the European champion. In the absence of Great Britain's Beth

Tweddle, Komova is victorious here. She takes gold. Ruby Harrold for

Great Britain in sevenths. Do you think you have shown that you are

worthy of a place in the senior team as a full-timer? I feel so,

yes. Did your original skill in that bars routine, the skill which

you have made up yourself, talk us through what that one is? I don't

think it's a skill that's my skill, but it's a somersault in-between

the two bars with a full turn. you pleased that came off in the

final in front of a crowd like this under pressure? Definitely, yes.

What are your aims and ambitions from here having had the

experiences of a senior Championships and made the fuenl?

Having this experience is amazing, hopefully it proves to the coaches

that maybe I can deliver and go further.

Hannah Whelan has stepped up to the plate as the captain of the British

team in the absence of Beth Tweddle. Alison caught up with her ahead of

the final. You are in two finals, the beam and

the floor, how do you assess your chances? The beam, I should go well,

and hopefully place a little bit higher than before. The floor is a

little unexpected. I was contraiting on the beam final. So I

will just look towards to get a good place.

Are you nervous on the beam? I was at the that time. I have been

working so hard. I was concentrating on getting to the

final, but it has paid off. How do you manage to block out

everything else is going on in the gymnastic hall with concentration

you need? I'm in the sure. I've been competing for years and years.

I can hear the girls' voices, the little things that they say. I hear

the voice in my head. Is it conscious to be hearing the

girls? It is great to know that they have my back and are assuring

me. How tight is the Olympics for plat -- for the places? The team is

announced in July, there are only five spots up for grabs? It is a

good thing. Yes, it makes had hard for every torch get on the team,

but it shows how good Great Britain are.

This is Larisa Andreea Iordache from Romania, the highest qualifier.

This is her first senior European Championships.

Larisa Andreea Iordache had the highest difficulty in qualification.

This is the important thing, this element, the tuck back. She did

well. A double spin with a little wobble. Those are two very

difficult elements under her belt. A big pie leap with a half-turn.

She's missed the link. A little stop there to add a bit of dance.

She did not make the link into the back flip. Front somersault into

the tuck-back. Very positive in her movements.

Sharp in the dancework. But she does look a little bit

jittery. We've come to expect almost

mechanical execution. Today she looks just a little bit human.

Very strong work. Lots of difficulty. Here the big dismount.

A triple lift into a round-off. That was fantastic.

A triple twist all the way around. Lovely work.

This is incredible. You can forgive her that wobble. Such a move to

full twist so. Many come to grief on that.

That is a little down on the qualification, but still one of the

highest scores. Nataliya Konenko.

She has the presence. Very solid.

Excellent. This is great stuff. The Arabian.

She won it. Her rating is so difficult.

Almost away. The nerves have not gone away.

Two flicks oh, and a double Arabian that did not pay off. A whole

mark's deduction right at the end, but she was unsettled all the way

through. She was on but just did not follow

the rules and put the arms positively in the right place.

Maybe she had started to think about the big dismount. It is a big

dismount. Here we go, one, two, up, half turn,

double front. That is massive. Two marks behind Larisa Andreea

Iordache. How well the British all-round

champion now to this final. Well, Hannah has been the absolute

rock of the British team. A lovely free walkover into the

change. Into the half turn. Well connected so far.

This is the important series. A free cartwheel into the layout.

Very well performed. She has work every apparatus in both

qualification and team final. Now this is important.

She had to stop at one-and-a-half. She will not quite get the

difficulty in qualification. In qualification she made it around

smoothly. She is a very elegant gymnast.

A lovely leap. We saw the landing. We have to hope it was good at the

her feet and lift into the turn. That stops the rot.

A tiny little adjustment there. What does the future hold for

Hannah Whelan? 14 .3 33. of 14 .3 33 in silver medal

position. Very focused. A lovely round-off. A straight somersault.

You can see the focus in the eyes. That was a change leg to ring. Half

turn, walkover, leg up into the side... Oh! Into the side

somersault. She went for the connection but just off-line. Now...

She needs to settle herself. Such style, you know she never

moves without every toe pointed. Full extension.

A free walkover, into the back flip. She has not given in. A big

dismount and double pike. A little pace forward. It may have had a

fall, but there was a lot of good work as well.

You really thought nothing was going to go wrong all the way

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

through. Big control, then this. Hips nice and square.

She is absolutely determined here. The first wobble... A little bit

nervous but that was good, such control here.

Finishes with a double pike. A pace forward. She did have an

opportunity there. She could stamp her authority, her control on the

apparatus, but she started off nerve accountsly.

This was a fabulous performance. She takes the head back. You lose

siergt of the beam and have to recover yourself. -- you lose sight

of the beam but she recovers herself. What an element of variety

she showed us. Romania are happy.

Indeed, but which way will it go. There is conformation that Catalina

Ponor takes the gold ahead of her team-mate. What about that, Hannah

Whelan is taking a bronze! Hannah Whelan steps up on to the medal

podium. With a beaming smile and rightly so.

Catalina Ponor, the European champion and silver going to her

team-mate. Now, Rebecca Tunney in the floor

final. I knew I would do a good job with

the landing, I did not think that I would get into the final, but it

was a nice shot. Why? Is that because you thought it

was just your first championships? Well, the floor is not my strong

point. I know that a lot of people do a lot harder tumbles. They are

hard for me, but a lot of others do harder tumbles, so I was not

expecting it. Catalina Ponor got a gold n for the

team. A gold on the beam. Could she get a triple here? Oops, a little

out of control. Of course, this is not an easy ride

at all. Here we go. A double layout,

beautifully done. The acceleration, two whips, flick

into full twisting double. This is lovely.

On the beam she gave us grace, here she is giving us power and lots of

grip. The audience are totally with her.

A big pull through the flick. A triple twist.

I tell you, the tumbling is great. Warming as she goes. Selling the

The double pike with just a tiny pace back. What about that? It's a

benchmark to set. A fabulous routine, got all the tumbling. This

is the quad spin. She fell out of it a bit, but then she followed it

up with this double straight, holding the body in the straight

position. She's given a six for the difficulty. That is indeed the

score to beat. Our attentions turn then to Vanessa Ferrari. She was a

European champion on floor back in 2007 in the world champion all

round. She took gold in the Olympic test event not so long ago an this

apparatus, so she's on firm, Mitch? Yes, this is powerful. A double,

double. Deep on the landing. That's an example she has adapted in her

Apology for the loss of subtitles for 44 seconds

it a little. That was a lovely will, the determination and still

has the technique. Just a little pace back on the double pike. She

survived the difference. She's still a contender. The double pike

dismount, the skip backwards. It wasn't faultless, but it was very

member of the senior British squad, Rebecca Tunney. She's 15. Trains at

the City of Liverpool. Very sparkly young gymnast. With a

very big opening tumble. How's she going to fare? Up into a massive

double Arabian and she fared perfectly well. Now has to find

some legs for the second big tumble. Full twisting double pike. She does

the same again. Now we need expressive dance as well. She's

very fast, very powerful. with this complex run. One-and-a-

half. Can she make the two-and-a- there. We have seen super tumbling

so far. Strong double pike. Just a hop back. Well, a great performance

for her first ever European final. Outstanding. Absolutely brilliant.

It's such a shame about that step back. How costly be that be, Chris?

0.303 for the step and 0.1 out of the floor so 0.4. -- 0.3 for the

step and 0.1 out of the floor so 0.4. Fast, powerful. Very hard-

working. Up into third at the power here. Look at the

acceleration. Incredible. Still the power. Look at this! Almost

overcooked it but kept it in. Mind- Can't wait to get going into the

next tumble. Superb through the party for the medals. Double tuck.

Souper. Brilliant, lively, vivacious, fabulous. Unbelievable

for 15! Extraordinary gymnastics. Is it a gold each? I think it is.

Now this she did really well. Double twisting, double back and

lands with not a problem. That's the best I've seen her perform it

in this Championships. Larisa Andreea Iordache has got it! Wow, a

massive score. Great Britain's Hannah Whelan is up next. All

around British champion. English floor champion. 19. Can she add

another medal to the bronze she got on beam? Triple twist. Lovely and

the two-and-a-half and does what's thrown into the floor routine. Very

original dance. Fabulous landing She's selling it well. Just hope

she's kept the energy right to the end. Come on, Hannah. Lift up high,

double pike! It's there! What a performance. A real professional

performance there, Matt? Tell you what, I am really excited, OK, she

scored 14.333 in qualification, she needs over 14.4 to go up into

bronze. Such confidence all the way through

and it wasn't just the tumbling, it was the way she danced away,

projected really sold the routine, went for it. It's there! What about

that?! Hannah wheelen has a bronze medal, snatched it off Ferrari --

Hannah Whelan. Gold and silver one and two for Romania, Hannah Whelan

bronze. Rebecca Tunney in fifth. Hannah Whelan writes herself into

the history books for British gymnastics.

Hannah you have two bronze medals clinking around your neck. Not

content with getting one on the beam, you picked up bronze on the

floor as well, you must be delighted? So happy. Very

unexpected, just wanted to do some routines, knew I had an outside

chance of getting a medal, but two, I'm over the moon. You are the

first British any more nast since Beth Tweddle to win an individual

at the European Championships, was you aware of that? No. Beth's an

amazing gymnast and to be able to almost follow in her footsteps, I'm

very happy. Is this a significant step for you in your career to win

some medals in a major and put yourself on the map? Definitely.

It's great going into the Olympics and for the rest of my career, I've

won nationals before, always dreaming of winning Europeans and

to come here and win two, I'm so happy. What about Ruby Harrold and

Rebecca Tunney also in finals and Rebecca Tunney finishing fifth in

her first major? That is fantastic. My first European final I fell

twice on beam, that was only last year and the nerves got the better

of me, but they are such amazing tallened youngsters, a very bright

future for them. Do you think they've set down a stake for an

Olympic place? Yes, definitely. So much strength in Great Britain now

and this European Championships has shown it. Beth, how have the

Europeans been for you this year as a spectator? Great. Britain have

come away with a few medals, so it's nice to see. It's great

prospects for the future of British gymnastics. Did you predict Hannah

would come away with two medals? had a good feeling she'd come away

with one individual. I said to her before I left, I've got a feeling

Hannah will medal. Would you have thought beam or floor? To be honest,

I thought it was going to be beam so it's amazing she's got two.

Talking of your coach Amanda, she's worth a mention isn't she? Yes, me

and Hannah are the only ones who've got an individual piece medal and

she's the only coach in the whole of Britain that has a gymnast

individual medal. What does that mean for us in general going

towards the Olympics? There is a couple of months left, there's a

real confidence there now? Yes, everyone who sees Hannah get a

medal, it gives them belief, so the rest of the girls will look up to

her, see what she's been doing in training and see, we do what she's

done. Ruby and bars, Becky and floor... They've taken on a lot of

responsibility? They are the two youngsters, but they've risen to

the game and put their stamp on it and proved their point ready for

the Olympics. How do you think the men will fare? They usually try and

outdo us, hopefully - they've been working hard and looking good - I

wouldn't be surprised if they come home with a few medals. It's their

turn next week, so it's the men's team final on the 26th May. You can

watch that on the red button from 1.25pm, then it's the apparatus

finals the day after that on 27th May on the red button once again.

You can see highlights of the whole competition on Sunday 3rd June.