Picture cortesy of UEG

Just a few days after World Cup Guadalajara, F.I.G. uploaded the entry list of the gymnasts that are going to compete in  the 2018 European Championships.

Guadalajara will hold the 34th UEG European Championships of Rhythmic Gymnastics  from 1st to 3rd of June. This city wants to be a worldwide reference in rhythmic gymnastics with a huge fan base a and great project. It also aims to become the European Capital of Sport.

Choices

Only just two individual senior gymnasts were allowed to represent each of the top qualified countries. In some cases, it was not clear which gymnasts would compete in European Championships.

Ukraine’s just revealed their two participants, Yeva Meleshchuk and Vlada Nikolchenko. These are the second European Championships for Meleshchuk. A young 15-year-old Vlada Nikolchenko claims to be the top gymnast from Ukraine, winning several medals since the beggining of the season. The former promise of Ukrainian team, Olena Dyachenko, is not going to compete in the European Championships since she did not get good results in the last competitions.

Vlada Nikolchenko (UKR)

Likewise, Bulgarian choice was not an easy one. National Champion, Neviana Vladinova got injured and missed the chance to participate in a few competitions to prepare for the European Championships. Katrin Taseva and Boryana Kaleyn were representing Bulgaria the whole season, but Neviana is back as a head gymnast of team BUL. Vladinova and Taseva are the ones chosen by their National Federation.

Katrin Taseva (BUL)

Belarus is going to be represented by Katsiaryna Halkina and Anastasiya Salos, who is the new rising star from BLR. European Championships medalist, Alina Harnasko can’t compete since she is recovering from a knee surgery. Harnasko underwent surgery a few months ago in Germany.

Katsiaryna Halkina (BLR)

The toughest decision was made by Russia. World Cup Guadalajara was the place for Arina Averina and Aleksandra Soldatova, since it was clear that Dina Averina was already chosen to compete in European Championships. In the end, head coach of Russian Federation, Irina Viner-Usmanova decided to give the opportunity to Arina Averina. As such, the Averina twins (Dina and Arina) will compete in the European Championships.

Arina Averina (RUS)

Who’s going to miss this competition? 

Aleksandra Soldatova, who was fighting for a place in the European Championships representing Russia.

Aleksandra Soldatova (RUS)

Alina Harnasko, from Belarus, who is in the proccess of recovery from two different knee surgeries.

Alina Harnasko (BLR)

Ukraine’s young rhythmic gymnastics star, Olena Dyachenko, who was not chosen by Irina Deryugina to represent with Vlada Nikolchenko, UKR in European Championships.

Olena Dyachenko (UKR)

Natalia García, from Spain, who is still recovering from a double hip surgery which requires a gently course of physical therapy. The gymnast who is going to represent the host country is Polina Berezina

Natalia García (ESP)