The Rhythmic Gymnastics competition is bound to start at the 25th Summer Universiade in Belgrade.

‘Over the years, we have been able to really improve the program of the Rhythmic Gymnastics within the whole sports program of the Universiade. It means that we could always prepare the best conditions, and therefore attract the best athletes, world champions, Olympic Champions and medallists, Josef Zellweger, Technical Chair for RG and a former Olympic gymnast himself, explained to FISU Media the success of the RG competition within the Universiade.

‘It all depends on the circumstances. If you can deliver the best venues and competition conditions, the best eligible athletes will come. And so far we succeeded in that. And of course stars like Bessonova or the new Russian Olympic champion Kaneva, they come to the Universiade to beat records of others who have been here before. It’s like building a house. You need a strong basic foundation and from there you can build a strong building. Of course you need a good cooperation with the Organizing Committee of the host city and you need to have competent people. And I want to mention that our Serbian hosts are the most competent people I ever had’, the FISU Technical Chair adds.

Anna Bessonova participates for the 4th time at the Universiade and is already a FISU legend. The three previous Universiades she amassed 15 medals, five gold in Bangkok (2007), four gold and one bronze in Izmir (2005) and four silver and one bronze in Daegu (2003). And the odds look good for her winning more medals here in Belgrade. Although her main concern is her new program she is going to present to the audience and judges. ‘I hope they like and if medals are a result of that, it will be great of course’, Anna told FISU Media. Anna likes the life in the Universiade Village. ‘The Universiade is more relaxed because we know it is hosted every two years so there is less pressure than at the Olympic Games.’ And she can compare as she is a double bronze Olympic medallist (2004 & 2008). When asked after two Olympic bronze, a silver or a gold at the London Olympics in 2012 is the next step, she laughs. ‘We never predict in advance because we don’t like to do that. Let us be good athletes with good presentations and the results will come’, Anna Bessonova replies.

The Rhythmic Gymnastics competition starts on July 9th – Christian Pierre

More info on www.fisu.net – www.fisu.tv – www.ub2009.org.


About FISU

FISU stands for Federation Internationale du Sport Universitaire (International University Sports Federation), founded in 1949. FISU’s main responsibility is the supervision of both Summer and Winter Universiades as well as the World University Championships. The Universiade is an international sporting and cultural festival which is staged every two years in a different city and which is second in importance only to the Olympic Games.

The Summer Universiade consists of 12 compulsory sports (Athletics – Basketball – Fencing – Football – Artistic & Rhythmic Gymnastics – Swimming – Diving – Water Polo – Tennis – Table Tennis – Judo – Volleyball) and up to three optional sports chosen by the host country. The record figures are 9,006 participants in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2007 and 174 countries in Daegu, Korea in 2003.

The Winter Universiade consists of 7 compulsory sports (Alpine Skiing – Nordic Skiing composed of Ski Jump, Cross Country & Combined – Biathlon – Ice Hockey – Short-Track Speed Skating – Figure Skating – Curling) and one or two optional sports also chosen by the host country. The Winter Universiade gathered a record 2,511 participants in Torino in 2007 and a record number of 50 countries in Innsbruck, Austria in 2005.

The World University Championships are organized every even year in sports which do not figure on the compulsory Universiade program. In 2008, 29 different WUC were staged all over the world.

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