Gold for Greece’s Seniors and Bulgaria’s Juniors Groups – Lica in the spotlight with the best Individual All-Around total and four apparatus finals to her tally

Host nation Greece celebrated their first gold medal at the 8^th Aphrodite Cup held at the Faliro Olympic Complex.

The Senior’s Group consists of Eira Laura Gkikoka, Elpida Egglezou, Kalomira Karoki, Irini Konisti, Christina Riga and Marietta Topollai chose the sound of Audiomachine’s song Blizzard for their routine with the 3 Ribbons/2 Balls. They tallied 55.500 points and brought Greece on top of the Group All-Around, way ahead of USA (51.250) and Kazakhstan (46.150).

The US team scored 21.950 in their routine with the 3 Ribbons/2 Balls, while the Kazaks earned 18.900.

Bulgaria’s Junior Group All-Around got the job done on the second day of the 8^th Aphrodite Cup, after they earned 28.100 points in their routine with 5 Balls. Despite trailing to Italy by scant 0.50 points in the 5 Balls event, Bulgaria won the gold medal with a total of 57.100.

Italy was second in 56.950 and hosts Greece took bronze with 55.800 (scored 27.560 with 5 Balls).

Senior and Juniors Groups competition resumes on Sunday (March 12) with the apparatus finals.

Amalia Maria Lică achieved the best mark amongst junior participants at the Aphrodite Cup. The Romanian double medallist at last year’s European Junior Championships, amassed 119.700 points and not only won the Individual All-Around gold for gymnasts born in 2009, but qualified to all four apparatus finals as well.

Liliana Lewinska of Poland won the class of 2008, and Natalie de la Rosa emerged victorious at the All-Around ranking for girls born in 2010.

The medallists per category:

B. 2008
1. LEWINSKA Liliana POL 116.500
2. MEIRZHANOVA Aiym KAZ 115.200
3. GOLDBLATT Yael Aloni ISR 112.300

B. 2009
1. LICA Amalia Maria ROU 119.700
2. FRANCO Alona Tal ISR 112.600
3. MASLOV Olivia POL 108.950

B. 2010
1. DE LA ROSA Natalie USA 110.300
2. YEREKESHEVA Akmaral KAZ 109.650
3. GARAC Lisa Maria ROU 109.000

Here’s the list with the Clubs and Ribbon qualifiers:

Clubs
1. GOLDBLATT Yael Aloni ISR 28.850
2. LEWINSKA Liliana POL 28.700
3. MEIRZHANOVA Aiym KAZ 28.200
4. LICA Amalia Maria ROU 28.100
5. RUSAK Erika USA 28.050
6. STEINFELD Viktoria GER 28.000
7. KRASNOBAEVA Elvira BUL 27.800
8. TUGOLUKOVA Vera CYP 27.450

Ribbon
1. LICA Amalia Maria ROU 29.700
2. MEIRZHANOVA Aiym KAZ 28.850
3. TUGOLUKOVA Vera CYP 28.500
4. GOLDBLATT Yael Aloni ISR 28.050
5. VALASEVITS Valeria EST 27.650
6. MASLOV Olivia POL 27.600
7. RUSAK Erika USA 27.200
8. STOYANOVA Dara BUL 27.150

The Juniors’ apparatus finals will take place on Sunday March 12, final day of the 8^th Aphrodite Cup.