First, my semi-yearly complaint that event finals should be performed in qualification order from 8-to-1, rather than by random draw. Rewarding performance in qualification should be a thing, and it makes the final more interesting to follow.

Anyway, in unrelated news, we’re beginning with our top two qualifiers on vault in the first and second positions.

We had the junior event finals earlier (and I was not waking up for that), with the medals going as follows:

VAULT – 1) As D’Amato (ITA), 2) Villa (ITA), 3) Morgan (GBR)

BARS – 1) Klimenko (RUS), 2) Komnova (RUS), 3) Heduit (FRA)

BEAM – 1) Villa (ITA), 2) Morgan (GBR), 3) Iorio (ITA)

FLOOR – 1) Stanciulescu (ROU), 2) Villa (ITA), 3) Morgan (GBR)

Villa and Morgan both with three event medals.

Vaulties introduction now. Interested to see whether we get a spurred on Russia or a hangover Russia today.

VAULT

Devai – VT 1 – goes for the Cheng again and lands it – camera angle terrible – legs are fairly crazy, with a distinct pike and a step out of the area – the form is not great but the difficulty will more than make up for it. 14.633.

Devai – VT 2 – DTY – better than the Cheng in landing more upright, still some crazy legs throughout – off line and lands out of the area. 14.066. Average 14.349

Devillard – VT 1 – Rudi – pretty solid, similar to the TF – a bit of leg separation and crossing, pretty normal chest position, medium pace back – 14.766.

Devillard – VT 2 – oooohhh, she went for the DTY (she had to go for it to try to catch Devai) but nowhere close, and hands down. Interesting that they had posted the full, but she elected to go for the double. 13.100. 13.933 average.

Volleman – VT 1 – DTY – not as strong as normal – comes in short with a lurch forward – knees, showing a somewhat piked shape as well. 13.933

Volleman – VT 2 – Lopez/Podkopayeva, we’ll see what gets credit – very good landing – completely controlled and nearly stuck – I would credit piked rather than layout. 13.666. 13.799 average.

Belak – VT 1 – attempts her handspring layout full, falls – comes in way way short – that’s typically reserved as her “I’m really going for it in this event final” vault, which she had to do here. 13.066.

Belak – VT 2 – Y 1.5, pretty good with a step forward and off to the side – best body form of any of the vaults we’ve seen so far. 14.000. Average 13.533. E score for Belak on second vault was 9.000, highest so far but only barely, not different enough from the other vaults.

Akhaimova – VT 1 – Rudi – lands it again – chest too far down, below horizontal, but controls the landing with just a little bounce toward the center – leg form. 14.366.

Akhaimova – VT 2 – Tsuk full, solid but simpler – not bad in the legs, except on the block, which was Nabz-y – smallish bounce back on landing. 13.766. Average 14.066.

Golgota – VT 1 – DTY – solid one, good power and direction, lost her legs at the end – small hop back – 14.500.

Golgota – VT 2 – Tsuk full – similar and efficient – good direction, some legs toward the end, pretty little hop back – will also get hit for minor piked shape in the air. 13.833. Average 14.166.

Devai looks like she’s having panic attacks with every score.

Voss – VT 1 – DTY – excellent amplitude, medium hop back – only little breaks in form, staggers toward the end, hopefully she gets rewarded. 14.433.

Voss – VT 2 – Lopez/Podkopayeva attempt – probably giving away too much pike there as well, but good – step back – 13.733. Average 14.083.

Basically loving this “Boglarka waiting to see if she wins gold” cam.

Melnikova – VT 1 – solid DTY, small hop back – the usual bit of leg crossing maintained throughout the vault – 14.566.

Melnikova – VT 2 – Lopez – maybe a little too sloppy but she should still medal with that – some legginess, shows enough of the layout shape at the beginning – steps out of the area – 13.900. Average 14.233.

Devai wins gold and is having a panic attack and being strangled by her coach at the same time (FUN). She didn’t have the execution, but no one could match her on difficulty.

GOLD: Devai, SILVER: Melnikova, BRONZE: Golgota

BARS

Bossu – inbar full to stalder – pulls it back with an arch – stalder Shap 1/2 – inbar – inbar 1/2 to piked jaeger to pak – form, toe Shap 1/2 – double front, holds the stick.

Not bad from Bossu, but she had an arch on an early Stalder that she had to save. Piked jaeger was pretty but struggled on the swing into the Pak, which got fairly whippy with a leg break.

14.100.

Derwael – Nabieva, good – Derwael to Yezhova to Stalder Shap to Pak, lovely – Toe Shap 1/2, strong, only small leg break – toe full to FTDT with just a small hop. Much better than her qualification showing.

14.733.

Adlerteg – Piked Hindorff to Pak, good, some legs – Shap to Bhardwaj, just pulls it out – Toe Shap to clear hip 1/2 and works it out somehow – DLO with a hop back. It’s a hit!

Hers was not as strong as her qualification performance. Just pulled around her Bhardwaj to get her hand grasp, and then had a hesitation pause in the middle of her clear hip full, but saved it.

14.533. In behind Derwael, which is appropriate. Still a fab score.

Charpy – Toe full to Stalder Shap 1/2 – a bit of legs – toe 1/2 to piked Jaeger, good – Ricna to Pak, a little close on Ricna – Toe Shap 1/2 very nice – DLO, stuck. Quite good. Recovers from her routine from yesterday. Doesn’t have quite the content, but should do well in execution. Pretty to watch.

14.133 puts her into third right now, just ahead of Bossu.

Perebinosova – Toe tkatchev 1/2 to a crazy Yezhova, just avoids brushing – Shap to full to tkatchev to Pak is better, good control – Shap 1/2 – FTDT with step forward.

The second half was great, the Yezhova got her a little at the beginning as she barely got her second hand and nearly brushed the mat. But also Perebinosova hit three whole bars routines.

14.166 does put her third for the moment. Still a medal open to be won by Bui or Melnikova.

Simm – Toe full to Ray, solid – Ricna to Pak, also nice form – Stalder Shap to Bhardwaj, some legs, got it around – Toe Shap 1/2 – DLO, whippy with a hop back. Good one. She doesn’t quite have the D of the current medalists, though she’s not actually that far back.

14.066. Everyone other than the first two is so bunched together. Shame that she’ll end up 8th because that was quite a good routine.

Bui – piked jaeger to Pak, very clean – Toe Shap to Bahrdwaj, her Bhardwaj is higher and better than the others but ends up catching a little close – Toe Shap 1/2 – full to gienger – FTDT with a small hop to the side. Let’s watch because that should be right there as well

14.200. She moves into third before Melnikova to go. I’m good with that placement.

Melnikova – Inabr full to To Shap to Pak to Shap 1/2, very nice – some handstands – 1/2 turn to piked Jaeger – orrphan 1/2 – toe 1/2 to FTDT. That will be quite close as well. Good routine. Some handstands but probably the best legs-together form and toe point of the final.

14.366. She’s into bronze and knocks out Bui. Shame for Bui, but probably got it right in the end.

GOLD: Derwael, SILVER: Adlerteg, BRONZE: Melnikova

Adlerteg’s second European bars silver. I would say I’d hope this would convince Scrooge McDuck to open the wallet and send actual Swedish teams to competitions, but…

Medal ceremony break before the other two event finals.

BEAM

Boyer – aerial to split to tuck jump 1/2, some hesitation but worked through better than TF – round off layout, check with leg up – switch to switch 1/2, check – still rushing but not ahead of herself like yesterday – check on L turn – side aerial to split leap to side somi, probably broken connection – side jump with arm wave – double pike with bounce back.

A lot of checks in that one, but she stayed on.

13.166.

Brassart – aerial, some knees – split jump, pause – bhs loso, tight but secure – switch – switch 1/2 – she’s breaking all her connections, nerves – full turn – side aerial, solid – switch ring – wolf jump – split leap combination is quite short, looks like an improvised addition to get a dance series that she wasn’t intending – struggles on her low to the beam choreography and nearly falls off – double pike with step

Had to hook a leg to stay on toward the end of that routine during that choreo. Don’t expect a big D because of those broken connections.

Long judging pauses, technical delays.

12.266

MDJDS – I see they’ve dropped the Dos Santos from her identification here, is that a choice or were they just like “NOPE TOO LONG YOUR NAME IS FRED NOW”? – front pike mount, very good – punch front pike, also secure – bhs layout, some legs apart but super solid – switch to split, OK – aerial to split to bhs, her first check – she’ll get knocked for split positions throughout this routine – side jump with a large break, leg way up but saved it – easy double tuck, small step

One large break but better than the other two so far. 13.066. She should have been higher than Boyer. Her E was definitely higher, but not enough.

Wevers – ro bhs mount – L turn 1.5 again – side aerial to bhs, solid – aerial to split to bhs 1/1, also solid, shortish on the split jump – L turn to full turn to double turn to split leap is perfect again, just got off rhythm toward the end and smartly eschewed the straight jump – gainer full is stuck today, still piked but a much better dismount than yesterday. Good one.

#SannesDScoreDiary

13.900. Into first by quite a margin.

Millousi – annnnnnd she fell immedaitely on her loso mount because Millousi – bhs loso solid – split leap – aerial to split ring, some broken connections there – side aerial to split jump to stag ring, nice – she’s lovely to watch, I’m just impressed she actually hit in qualification – switch leap to split ring, struggle shape with a check as well – switch ring – 2/1 small hop.

12.133

Kaeslin – switch – bhs bhs loso with a lean but kept it on – onodi to sheep, nice with a small check – bhs 1/1 – split ring, in stages, with check – Y turn, over turned – aerial to split to wolf – side aerial, very solid – 2/1, step to the side.

Got through with a hit. Some checks, some broken connections.

12.466.

“She’s just out of the medals. She’s used to that.”

Derwael – loso mount – good – bhs loso series, secure – aerial, smooth, pretty – side somi, strong – switch to split leap, well done, good extension in those – wolf triple, very good leg extension maintained – gainer full, just a small hop. VERY nice routine.

So, is Nina also a beamer now?

13.600. Into second, well done. Deservedly the highest E of the competition, but didn’t have the difficulty of Wevers.

Schaefer – switch split mount to split leap to Y spin, may not get the connection but everything was lovely – bhs loso series with a check – switch ring – full turn – attempts the Schaefer but nowhere close and falls – “From the moment she took off it didn’t look quite right” I know, but that’s just how it looks – side somi – side aerial to split jump to double stag, strong – gainer layout, stuck. Would have contended for a medal

12.400.

GOLD: Wevers, SILVER: Derwael, BRONZE: Boyer

Wevers and Derwael, the clear class of the field. I would have had MDJDS in bronze, but it was close and Boyer had the difficulty.

FLOOR

CELINE VAN GERNER HAS CAT MAKEUP ON. SHE GETS IT.

Fenton – 3/1, gets it around with a hop, some crossed legs – 2.5 to front tuck with another correction hop – drops out of Memmel a little too early this time – L hop full – double tuck, step back. Solid showing, will get hit for the landings and won’t get the dance D she wanted.

12.633.

Klinckaert – Oh yeah we forgot about her HP routine in all the CELINE CATS – split leap 1/1 a little short – front 1/1 through to double tuck, a little hop – DLO, a bit short with a step – switch ring, split leap 1.5 – my favorite part is when she gets electrocuted in the middle – pike full in, good – double pike, step.

“I’m not sure about Bellatrix, but there are a few Belgian tricks.” AHHHHH I CANNOT. He had been planning that clearly for DAYS and it was worth it.

13.400. Solid score.

Castles – struggles on her Memmel, won’t get it – double tuck, a little bounce back – 1.5 through to 2.5, good, just some knees – switch ring, lovely back leg extension, good split leap 1/1 – wolf double – front full – solid showing to make the floor final. Big accomplishment.

12.800.

Klinckaert has put in a D score inquiry. Not sure what she might not have received. Inquiry rejected. YOU ARE NOT SANNE.

Celine The Cat – so much cat choreography onto the floor already, just don’t even do any passes, just the cat choreo – double turn, good – split leap 1/1, very high – double tuck, very secure – back 1.5 front full, secure, a little knees – split leap 1/1 – switch 1/2 – great routine.

It’s so OTT and preposterous and fantastic. Go ahead, you beautiful weirdo.

“If you’re wonder whether she’s allowed to wear that makeup, don’t worry, there’s a special CLAWS.”

Stop. You’re killing me.

13.300, into 2nd.

Basile – DLO, very strong, good control – double arabian, step forward, keeps it in – split ring leap is pretty low – 2.5 to front tuck, also just a small step – split leap full, feet – switch 1/2 – double pike, collapses in landing a little with a hop. But good tumbling and landing control overall. Should score well.

13.166. Currently third.

Melnikova – drops toward the very end of double L but may get it, may not – DLO 1/1, very good, switch to switch ring 1/2, apparently this late turn is the new technique they have to do, it doesn’t make the skill less visually offensive – DLO, big, step OOB – wolf turn double – front through to double back with step, good tuck shape – double pike, pretty deep landing with hop to the side but pulled it out.

13.166. OOOOOOH, Into 4th. I thought her difficulty would save her there, despite the deep landing and the OOB.

Golgota – DLO, good, small hop forward – double arabian, lunge – switch side full, I’d say that got around, as did the double L turn – full-in, hop to the side – wolf turn double, maybe just around – switch ring to split leap 1/1 – double tuck, good, chest up, small bounce.

Critically, she’ll get most of her dance credit, and that will help her score very well.

13.600. WOW. Damn. What getting dance element credit will do for you.

MDJDS – DLO 1/1, a bit short with a lunge forward – full in, hop back – switch side 1/2, a little bouncy – wolf turn 2.3 – front lay through to double tuck, a little hop – double pike, hop back – switch ring – split leap 1/1. Nice routine.

13.766. They’re willing to go there with the huge score for Melanie.

Golgota with a big silver, and Klinckaert with bronze.

GOLD: MDJDS (FRA), SILVER: Golgota (ROU), BRONZE: Klinckaert (BEL)

That bumps Celine The Cat into 4th, but clearly her aim was to be remembered, and she’s certainly what we’ll be talking about from this final the most.