Artistic Gymnastics: Somkin and Monitz Advance to European Championships All-Around Finals
Overview of the Competition
As the Israeli football team prepared for their match against Estonia in Tallinn, the city also hosted the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships, where Israeli rhythmic gymnasts showcased impressive performances. Following the conclusion of the qualifying rounds today (Friday), it was confirmed that Maital Somkin and Daniella Monitz qualified for the All-Around finals. Somkin further distinguished herself by advancing to three additional finals.
Maital Somkin’s Strong Performance
Maital Somkin finished the qualifying rounds with a notable performance, establishing herself as a standout competitor. She advanced to the hoop final with a score of 29.450 points, placing her in fifth position. Additionally, Somkin qualified for the ball final with a sixth-best score of 27.500 points. In the ribbon event, she received a commendable score of 28.600 points, which earned her a spot in the final after placing third. Conversely, she underperformed in the clubs event, where she scored only 27.200 points and did not qualify for that final.
Daniella Monitz’s Qualifying Rounds
Daniella Monitz competed in three routines but struggled to secure a spot in the finals of any, as her scores did not meet the top eight threshold. Her scores were 26.200 points in the ribbon (11th place), 27.850 points in the clubs, and a disappointing 25.700 points in the ball event, making it clear she needed to perform better to advance.
Lian Rona’s Performance
Lian Rona competed exclusively in the hoop event, finishing her qualifying appearance with a score of 28.150 points. She will serve as the first reserve for the hoop final in case start of the competing gymnasts is unable to perform.
Summary of Qualification for Finals
In the European Championships, 24 gymnasts who performed three out of the four highest-level routines qualified for the All-Around finals. Somkin’s cumulative score of 85.550 points placed her seventh overall in the All-Around competition, while Monitz secured the 16th position with a score of 79.750 points. Both gymnasts will have the opportunity to compete for medals again in the finals, where scores will reset.
Impact on Future Competitions
The total scores from the qualifying rounds for Somkin, Monitz, and Rona have positistartd Israel to potentially send two or three gymnasts to the World Championships, thanks to their competitive scores compared to other participating nations at the European Championships.
Upcoming Schedule
The All-Around final for the individual competition is set to take place tomorrow (Saturday) starting at 09:00 AM, featuring two subdivisions. The finals for the individual apparatus events will occur on Sunday. The rhythmic gymnastics team will also enter competition tomorrow for the group event