Finally some really good news from Nina Derwael (23). No, the Olympic champion has not yet qualified for Paris. To do this, she has to perform this weekend’s bravura piece twice more. This is possible as early as next week in Germany, but also in March in Azerbaijan or in April in Qatar. But after her performance in Egypt, faith in her chances of qualifying has returned.
On Friday in the qualifications, Derwael had fallen off the beam during the jump. But what she showed next was enough for a place in the final. She did not make that mistake again on Sunday. When it comes to the marbles, Derwael is always ready. That hasn’t changed. She performed the most difficult exercise of the eight girls (5.6) and also received the highest score for her performance (8.030). Naturally, she won gold, with a score of 13,630.
Admittedly, the world’s best were not present. In an Olympic year, Simone Biles and co ignore those World Cups. In Paris the level will be much, much higher. But that doesn’t matter for a moment. The only thing that matters to Derwael now is getting to Paris. The choice to do this through the World Cup and beam is clearly the right one. And let’s hope that her shoulder has recovered sufficiently by July, so that she can also do gymnastics on her favorite uneven bars in the Bercy hall. Her shoulder cannot handle that yet, five months after the operation.
Erika Pinxten. — © AFP
Pinxten confirms
Also very nice: Erika Pinxten turned out to be the biggest threat to Derwael in the final. The sixteen-year-old promise from Hasselt had to be the first to take office in Cairo. Nobody likes to do that on the beam, the most fickle equipment in women’s gymnastics. But Pinxten got through her exercise nicely. Not a very high difficulty level (5.2) but a nice performance. Good for a total score of 13.166 and a silver medal. The country of the Pharaohs seems to suit her, because last year she put her nose to the window for the first time by winning bronze twice at the same World Cup, on beam and bars.
The bridge had gone completely wrong on Thursday, but this time Pinxten had also reached the final of the floor exercise. She came fifth with 12.470. The Japanese winner has already been qualified for Paris through her country, which puts Pinxten in fourth place on the refined list.
Vlnr. Erika Pinxten, Nina Derwael and Mana Okamura. — © RR
Again next week
What does this World Cup in Cairo mean for Team Belgym? Well, after the fiasco at the World Championships in Antwerp (none of the ladies qualified for the Games), it now looks like we will be allowed to participate in Paris. In theory, this is still possible with three girls. Only: you can earn two tickets per device through the World Cups, but they cannot go to the same country. With different words: on beam it will be either Derwael or Pinxten, and not both. Nina now has an advantage over Erika. She has a more difficult practice, and if she wins two more times in the remaining three matches, she has the ticket.
In addition to the World Cup competitions, Pinxten has another iron in the fire. She was first reserve after the all-round competition at the World Championships in Antwerp; When one of the thirteen girls in front of her gets injured, the Hasselt girl is fished out. Finally, all Belgian gymnasts still have the safety net of the European Championships in early May in Rimini. One ticket will also be issued there through the all-round competition.
The next World Cup will take place next week in Cottbus, East Germany.