The second British Senior in this event, Heather Mann was only 0.341 points short of the rostrum, finishing in fourth place.
The Junior section was dominated by the Russians, Diana Botsieva (Gold) and Yana Loukonina (Silver) with the Canadian Clara Bernier winning the Bronze.
The best British Junior, Francesca Fox, was also very close to the medallists (fourth).
Seven countries took part in this very attractive event which revealed much of their potential for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games: Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Canada, Russia, Slovakia and Great Britain.
In this respect, the well-deserved victory of the GB Team (Seniors: Francesca Jones and Heather Mann and Juniors: Francesca Fox, Maria Popova, Rachel Smith, Keziah Gore and Jade Faulkner, led by National Coach Nadia Alexandrova) is very encouraging and revealing the huge progress achieved by all the gymnasts over the last two years.
Team GB
The GBR’s winning Total score was 147.125. Second was Canada, 145.616, third Czech Republic, 136.450 and fourth Slovakia, 137.850. Russia, Bulgaria and Belgium didn’t present full teams and competed only with individuals.
APPARATUS FINALS, Sunday 8 April
The top eight Juniors and Seniors on each piece of Apparatus proceeded to the Apparatus Finals, which confirmed the new status of the British gymnasts and the traditional strength of the Russians and the Bulgarians in this discipline.
Francesca Jones added another Gold (Rope), 2 Silver (Hoop and Ribbon) and Bronze (Clubs) to her Overall victory, going through the competition with completely new confidence.
Great improvement was also seen in Heather Mann’s performances, which won her the Gold with Hoop and Bronze medals with Rope and Ribbon.
Francesca Fox deserved a Silver medal with the Ribbon and Bronze with the Ball in the Junior Finals dominated, once again, by the two incredibly talented Russians Diana Botsieva (winner on Rope, Ball and Hoop) and Yana Loukonina, whose Ribbon routine on Charlie Chaplin’s “Limelight” was the most artistic piece seen over the weekend.
This was also the day of Monika Vedrichkova from Bulgaria, who swept both the Clubs and the Ribbon Gold medals with highly difficult routines performed with grace and enviable technique of handling the apparatus
MEDAL TABLE
Russia (participating with 2 Juniors: 5 Gold and 3 Silver medals
Great Britain (full Team): 4 Gold, 3 Silver and 4 Bronze
Bulgaria (participating with 1 Senior): 2 Gold, 2 Silver and 1 Bronze
Canada (full Team): 2 Silver and 4 Bronze medals
Slovakia (full Team): 1 Silver medal
Czeck Republic (full Team): 1 Bronze medal