Massilia Catch-Up

Blythe Lawrence has a few reports up on the Elite Massilia round. Here are a couple of her notes from the competition that feature Aussies.

Warmup notes:

"The Aussies are far and away the winners of the 2010 Elite Massilia sparkly leotard competition. The senior team's long sleeved pink and black look is outsparkled only by the black look of the juniors."



"In addition to physically resembling her sister, baby-faced Natalia Joura also reminds me of a young Dominique Moceanu. Something about the way she moves, I think. Also the fact that she wears beam shoes and wrist guards a la Moceanu in 1995-96. She also wears the same type of ankle protectors favored by Aliya Mustafina. And here she's sporting a rather large bandage/guard that covers her whole left thigh."

"I happened to be standing near the vault table during the flag presentation, which begins with some heavy, rather Russian music, the sort that makes you want to move around. And Natalia Joura and her father/coach Vladimir did a kind of impropmtu duet, where they danced around a little, moving from side to side and kicking their legs to the music. Very cute."

Day 2 notes:

"The Australian women swept the junior vault -- first place went to Victoria's Tierra Exum, who showed a tucked Omelianchik followed by a piked Omelianchik, both with good landings. Natalia Joura (Yurchenko full and Yurchenko half) was second, followed by Nikki Chung (Yurchenko full)."

"Chung and Georgia-Rose Brown went 1-2 for the Australian junior team on bars, followed by Anne Kuhm of France. On floor, Belgium's Terry Grand'ry won over France's Lea Calon and Joura."


Joura was 2nd in the junior AA.

Junior vault:

1. Tierra Exum, AUS (Victoria), 13.475, 13.95
2. Natalia Joura, AUS, 13.775, 13.575
3. Nikki Chung, AUS 13.7, 13.175

Junior bars:

1. Nikki Chung, AUS, 13.975
2. Georgia-Rose Brown, AUS, 13.775

Junior beam:

1. Irina Paun, ROM, 13.85
2. Joanna Dejardin, BEL, 13.2
3. Maartje Ruikes, NED, 12.75
4. Nikki Chung, AUS, 12.5

Junior floor:

1. Terry Grand'ry, BEL, 13.4
2. Lea Calon, FRA, 12.925
3. Natalia Joura, AUS, 12.925
4. Irina Paun, ROM, 12.9
5. Brianna Clark, CAN, 12.725
6. Alexandra Eade, AUS (Victoria), 12.625

Congrats on your finishes, girls! You have done your programs and your country proud!

Source: http://ozgymnastics.blogspot.com/2010/11/massilia-catch-up.html

Ferenc Puskas George Best Marco van Basten Eusebio