Thursday: The Women s Podium Training

The women's podium training - almost a competition
Generally all 12 qualified nations including the Brazilians demonstrated a further upward trend of their teams' profiles today, and not only that: All teams used the podium training as an outmost competition-like round.
However - as with the men - the favourites of the women's competition emerged pretty clear without much ambiguity. Romania, USA and also China will fight hard for the team victory, however, Russia and Ukraine are not without any medal chances, too.
Then, Australia, Brazil at its Olympic debut as well as Spain seem to apply for the team final. Respect to other nations that attracted attention with strong performances of individual gymnasts - like Elisabetz Tweddle on uneven bars for Great Britain or Emilie Lepennec from France on floor.
Due to the regulation of 3-3-performing (the scores of all three gymnasts count for the team result) much will depend on the day form and the stability of the programmes.

The present Brazilian World Champion on floor Daiane dos Santos baffled once again with her most difficult Arabian somersault version and in the last series with a double layout bwd with full turn. And on vaulting table, too, she celebrated a handspring with layout fwd with two and a half turns!

Most unfortunately, the current World Champion on vaulting table has evident problematic health problems. Oksana Chusovitina fell several times at her vaulting and had to drop out of her programme on uneven bars after a free hip circle... due to acute knee problems it does not seem recommendable to enter the competition of her fourth Olympic Games.

The dedicated Germans Lisa Brüggemann from Cologne and Yvonne Musik from Bergisch-Gladbach experience their long-hoped for Olymic debut as climax of their sport careers... the podium training - together with the Russians - went well and without substantial mistakes and '...both are in excellent mood and you can see that they have much fun in this environment.'