25. Mai 2003  
Monte Carlo/Monaco  
Happy Gymnastics

Night of the Champs-Showteam at LAUREUS SPORTS AWARD

STAGE SET FOR GYMNASTICS SPECTACULAR AT LAUREUS WORLD SPORTS AWARDS CEREMONY:
- Triple Olympic champion Sergej Charkov one of the star turns
- ‘Balletic’ programme highlighted by gymnastic wheels and power skips
Multiple world champion Wolfgang Bientzle and 15 other German gymnasts provided a spectacular programme of assorted gymnastics during the fourth annual Laureus World Sports Awards ceremony on the night of Tuesday, May 20......


Bientzle, who has claimed eight world titles on the gymnastic wheel, and triple Olympic champion Sergej Charkov headlined in a seven-minute display featuring gymnastic rings, trampoline, rhythmic gymnastics, triple bars, gymnastic wheel and the unusual power skips, where the gymnasts performed wearing a pair of sprung shoes on three-foot high stilts.

In total, three Olympic gold medals, 23 world championship crowns, 14 European titles and 74 national titles were represented by the gymnasts on display, who performed together for a similar show under Bientzle’s choreography at the “Night of the Champs” in Germany last year.
“The programme was very beautiful and almost balletic,” said Paul Kirrage, show producer for the Laureus World Sports Awards. “I’ve worked with Wolfgang a number of times before and I’m really excited about this programme.
“We’re always ambitious on this show and we have introduced a sporting element for the last two years. First it was ice-skating and then last year it was BMX and skateboarding. This year we’ve got the beauty of gymnastics in the show, proving that sport can be beautiful to watch as well as exciting and in-your-face.”

The Awards ceremony, which was watched by a global television audience of 320 million, was hosted by a great sporting legend and member of the Laureus World Sports Academy, tennis star John McEnroe, who will be joined by top European actress Desiree Nosbusch.

The Laureus World Sports Awards has established a unique place in the sporting calendar, honouring the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen from around the world and across all sports.

>> ... GYMmedia photo impressions will following very soon.