10th African Championships 2010 in ART, RG, TRA and AER
Walvis Bay (NAM), March 2010
LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, March 1, 2010: This month, junior and senior gymnasts hailing from Africa will gather in Walvis Bay (NAM) to compete at the 10th African Championships 2010. Competitions will be held in Artistic, Rhythmic, Trampoline and Aerobic Gymnastics. For Olympic disciplines, junior tournaments will qualify eligible gymnasts for the 1st Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in Singapore this summer. With a limit of one gymnast per NOC (1 Group in the case of Rhythmic Groups = 4 gymnasts), Africa has been allocated the following quota for the YOG:
MAG and WAG: 2 gymnasts each; RG: 2 Individuals and 1 Group (= 4 gymnasts); and TRA: 1 male and 1 female gymnast.
In addition, each competition allows for a certain number of what are referred to as NOC universality places, which guarantee the representation of all continents, as stipulated by the IOC.
YOG competition format and athlete eligibility
Artistic Gymnastics
The Youth Olympic Games competition format for Artistic Gymnastics is as follows: All gymnasts (42 boys and 42 girls) compete as individuals in a qualifying event, the results of which are used to identify the Individual All-around and Apparatus finalists. Gymnasts compete on all six apparatus for boys and on all four apparatus for girls. The best 18 male and female gymnasts from the qualifications proceed to the Individual All-around Finals, and the top eight who placed highest on each apparatus compete for the apparatus titles.
While for both the boys’ and girls’ competitions 28 gymnasts qualify via the FIG, 13 spots are reserved as NOC universality places in order to guarantee the representation of each continent, with one extra place for the host country. Continental quotas have been allocated as follows: 14 spots for Europe, 7 for Asia (including 1 spot for the host country), 2 for Africa, 5 for America and 1 for Oceania.
The required age for Artistic gymnasts to be eligible to participate in the Singapore Youth Olympic Games is 16-17 years for boys (born in 1993 or 1994), and 15 years for girls (born in 1995). Gymnasts must qualify at their Junior Continental Championships and may not have previously participated at FIG senior competitions or multi-sport games. A maximum of one male and one female athlete is allowed per NOC.
All gymnasts must have reached the following minimum standards: Boys as well as girls must participate on all apparatus and reach an average minimum execution score of 7.5, thus a total execution score of at least 45 points for MAG and 30 points for WAG.
Rhythmic Gymnastics
The Youth Olympic Games feature two events in Rhythmic Gymnastics: Individual All-around and Group All-around. Individuals compete on Rope, Hoop, Ball and Clubs; Groups on 4 Hoops and 4 Ribbons. A total of 18 Individual gymnasts and six Groups will qualify for Singapore. The continental quotas have been allocated as follows: In Individuals, Europe gets 6 spots, Asia 3 (including 1 spot for the host country), Africa 2, America 2 and Oceania 1. Four spots are reserved as NOC universality places in order to guarantee the representation of each continent. These will have an opportunity to send one Rhythmic Group to the Youth Olympic Games, with an extra spot for Asia as the host country.
Gymnasts competing in the Singapore Youth Olympic Games must be 15 years old (born in 1995) and may not have participated in FIG senior competitions or multi-sport games prior to the event. Additionally, they must fulfil specified performance criteria. In Individual, gymnasts must participate at all apparatus and reach an average minimum execution score of 7.5, thus a total of 30 points minimum. Groups must reach a minimum average execution score of 7.5 points in both exercises, which means at a minimum 15 points total.
Trampoline Gymnastics
In Trampoline Gymnastics the YOG programme schedules an individual competition for boys and one for girls. Each qualification round consists of two routines of 10 skills, and the top eight male and female athletes qualify for the Finals. Each final round consists of one routine of 10 skills.
A total of 12 gymnasts each will qualify for Singapore, whereas Europe takes three spots, Asia two (including one for the host country), America also two, and Africa and Oceania one spot each. Three spots are reserved as NOC universality places.
The required age for Trampoline gymnasts eligible for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games is 16-17 years (born in 1993 or 1994) for both boys and girls.
As in Artistic and Rhythmic Gymnastics, athletes must qualify at their Junior Continental Championships and may not have participated in FIG senior competitions or multi-sport games prior to the event. A maximum of one male and one female athlete is allowed per NOC.
Competition Schedule 2010 African Championships
Artistic Gymnastics
Wednesday, March 3: Competition I, II and IV, Junior / Senior
Thursday, March 4: Competition III, Senior
Friday, March 5: Competition III, Senior
Rhythmic and Aerobic Gymnastics
Sunday, March 7: Competition I, II and IV, Junior / Senior / Groups
Monday, March 8: Competition III, Junior / Senior & AER Finals
Tuesday, March 9: Competition III, Junior / Senior
Trampoline Gymnastics
Thursday, March 11: Competition TRA TUM, Junior / Senior & TUM Finals
Friday, March 12: TRA Finals, Junior / Senior & DMT Qualification / Finals
For the detailed programme click here!
Read a related article at Namibia Sport!
