14. November 2010  
Bilbao / Spain  
Rhythmic Gymnastics

Big stars of Rhythmic Gymnastics in Spain

Daria Dmitrieva at Euskalgym

No holidays for the international rhythmic gymnasts this year!?

Somebody could think so, considering the fully packed rhythmic calender, but there is still some space for some fun, as we could see at this year's "Euskalgym".

The Basque Federation of Gymnastics held their traditional gala of gymnastics presenting the best rhythmic gymnasts from nowadays - but also from the past - together with national rhythmic groups and the best international Spanish aerobic gymnasts.
As always in Spain, rhythmic gymnastics moves the masses and the “La Casilla” arena was fullly packed with an audience that made a big party of this gala...

Liubov Charkashyna - Aleksandra Narkevich - Dinara Gimatova

Silvia Miteva performing with ribbon

From Russia performed the Olympic and World Champion Evgenia Kanaeva and her teammate – and team and ribbon world champion - Daria Dmitrieva, from Azerbaidjan all-around bronze medalist in Moscow 2010 Aliya Garaeva, but also her coach Dinara Gimatova who did a gala performance. From the Ukraine Anna Bessonova and Nataliya Godunko, from Bulgaria Silvia Miteva, from Belarus Liubov Charkashyna and Aleksandra Narkevich, from Spain Carolina Rodríguez, Marina Fernández, Natalia García and Eugenia Onopko, and from Estonia Irina Kikkas delighted the audience with their show, too.

Even at the end of the season, all gymnasts showed high class exercises, performing each of them two routines and one gala. The gymnasts who aren't active at international competitions any longer, like Anna Bessonova, Dinara Gimatova and Irina Kikkas did wonderful gala routines.

Almudena Cid and Ortxi Acosta





In spite of this high-class competitor's field, the most beloved gymnast of the afternoon was Almudena Cid, four times Olympic finalist and two Olympic diplomas, retired after Beijing 2008, the most sucessfull Spanish gymnast of all times.
She did a performance together with her brother’s percussion group and the former international artistic gymnast and Cirque du Soleil member, Ortxi Acosta. Almudena and Ortxi showed a mix between artistic and rhythmic gymnastics combined with elements from acrobatics.
After their performance, Almudena went over to the VIP tribune to kiss her husband, famous Spanish TV presentator Christian Gálvez whom she married last August.

The audience also gave standing ovations for Carolina Rodríguez, Spain's number one, especially for her excellent flamenco-style gala performance.

Beside the rhythmic gymnastics performances, we could also enjoy the exercises of former aerobic World Champion Iván Parejo, vice-world champion at the age groups, Belén Digemot and trio vice-world champions in women's aerobic.

Now, the season for most of the gymnasts is finally over, some of them still have one competition left, and others go directly home to work on their new routines for the difficult Pre-Olympic year 2011.