10th FIG Academy for Rhythmic Gymnastics
LAUSANNE (SUI), FIG Office, August 10, 2010: The FIG Academy Programme was pleased to award an Academy for Rhythmic Gymnastics to Egypt which hosted this 10th Rhythmic Academy and the 85th overall at the Maadi Sports Club in Cairo during the last week of July.
The Academy was attended by sixteen coaches from three countries – Greece, Jordan and Egypt - which, incidentally, also meant that three Continental Gymnastics Unions - Europe, Asia and Africa - were represented at this course.
The course leader for this Rhythmic Academy was Nota Klentrou of Canada and two other members of the Academy Working Group for Rhythmic Gymnastics: Natalia Gorbulina of Russia and Nadya Aleksandrova of Great Britain. In a very sad turn of events, Eleni Polychronidou of Greece was expected to serve as an expert at this Academy but withdrew shortly before the starting date. She was to pass away in the beginning of August only three days after the course completion – a very sad and a very big loss to the world of Rhythmic Gymnastics and to gymnastics in Greece. Eunice Lebre of Portugal, a member of the FIG Scientific Commission, was able to serve as expert on very short notice even though she had just completed the leadership and organisation of an Academy in Portugal.
The candidates performed extremely well with a large number achieving exceptional examination results. Five coaches managed to achieve over 90% in the three-part examination. The highest mark of 95% was achieved by Shereen Karam Abdelmoniem Taama of Egypt followed closely by Nevein Mohamed Nashaat Elsheikh also of Egypt.
Special thanks must go to the Egypt Gymnastics Federation for hosting the fourth Academy in Cairo. It had previously hosted Academies for Men’s, Women’s and Trampoline Gymnastics.
The last Academy for Rhythmic Gymnastics for 2010 will be hosted on August 15 - 23 in Aracaju, Brazil for the Spanish speaking countries of the Pan American Gymnastics Union. The first Academy in 2011, which will also be the first Level 3 Academy for Rhythmic Gymnastics, is scheduled for January 9-16 in Pesaro, Italy.
