Sarah Wedel & Rebecca Wallace

The Irish senior women have completed the qualification stages at the European Gymnastics Championships.

Rebecca Wallace (17) from Salto and Sarah Wedel (19) from Douglas stepped up to the podium today in the same subdivision as Great Britain, Romania and France.

Rebecca competed on all pieces of apparatus and Sarah competed on beam and floor.

The girls started the competition with Rebecca on vault. She competed a Tsukahara and scored 12.325.

On bars Rebecca chalked up a total of 8.725. She grazed her feet along the ground in her transition to the low bar, but kept the routine going and dismounted with a double pike.

The girls then moved to beam and Rebecca was up first to compete for Ireland.

She landed her change-leg split leap, free cartwheel and side somersault, but unfortunately fell on her flip layout. 

Rebecca dismounted the beam with a pike Gainer and hit her toe off the beam causing her to fall on her landing. She scored 9.425.

Sarah competed next and fell on her flip layout but went clean on her side somersault. The gymnast fell for a second time on her free cartwheel but landed cleanly on her full twisting front somersault dismount to score 10.625.

Sarah said: "I'm not at all happy with beam. I feel I could have done better."

For the final rotation the girls competed on floor.

Sarah performed a clean vibrant routine. She competed a straight full twist, a full twist and a one and a half twist for her tumbles and performed a competent change-leg to change-leg full turn and scored 11.075. 

She said: "My floor didn't have much difficulty, but I am happy with my score. I've enjoyed the competition and the atmosphere"

Rebecca stepped out of the floor area on her first tumble, a double pike somersault and unfortunately landed low on her second tumble, a double tuck, touching her knee to the floor, which resulted in a score of 10.925.

Rebecca scored 41.400 overall and said: "I had falls but I am just getting back into the gym after hurting my back. 

"After the World Championships, I had a bad back and I needed a break, but I realised I missed the gym."

Well done girls and congratulations on all your hard work and effort!

For a full report on the Juniors click here...