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Emanuela Karastoyanova

Holding their breath, seconds before the start, which cost months and years of hard work. Gazing at the highest possible point - where only the eyes and the dreams of a player can reach. Last words of the coach, start and precisely counted time during which each player gives her best... This is not anything else but the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship in Kalamata. The event was held from March 26 to 28 in Hall “Tenta” and GRReporter was also there. We closely monitored the emotions of coaches and players, so we can tell you everything that happened. 

Participating in this year’s championship, which traditionally is held annually (since 1993) were 41 contestants from 20 countries in the individual program and 10 teams from 10 countries in the ensembles. In the individual program Greece presented competitors Michaela Metalidou, Varvara Filiou, Artemis Gavezou – Kastro and Anastasia Kontopidi. Michaela Metalidou gave reason for Greece to be proud by ranking 7^th in the finals of the ball and ribbon. The Greek competitor brought joy also to the gathered in the hall audience, who applauded her performance. The 17-year-ols girl from Thessaloniki has been in the national team since 2005 and her favorite apparatus is the ribbon. During the European Championships in Baku this year she was ranked 18^th in the individual program (combination), at the Mediterranean Cup in Pescara she ranked 5^th (combination), in the World Cup in Kiev she ranked 17^th (combination) and in the World in Mie she ranked 25^th (again a combination). 

In ensembles Greece ranked 4^th in hoops and 5^th in rope and ribbon, giving great cause for joy to the team’s coach Kamelia Dounavka.

As part of the individual program Cypriot athlete Hristaleni Trikomitou ranked in the finals by ranking 8^th in ribbon and hoop. 

Bulgaria's national team can also be very happy, because it ranked the country 3^rd place in the ensembles of hoop, ribbon and rope. In the individual program Bulgaria competed with Silvia Miteva and Monica Mincheva, which ranked as follows: Silvia Miteva - 4^th place in rope and hoop and 1^st in ball, Monica Mincheva - 7^th place in rope and 6^th in ball. 

Here are the medal winners of the championship: in the individual program 1^st place in ribbon took Daria Kondakova from Russia, 2^nd Alia Garaeva from Azerbaijan and 3^rd Liubou Charkashina from Belarus. Competing with rope 1^st place was won again by Dahlia Kondakova, 2^nd by Melitina Stanyuta from Belarus and 3^rd by Yana Lukonina from Russia. In the hoop program 1^st place was won by Melitina Stanyuta, 2^nd by Daria Kondakova and 3^rd by Liubou Charkashina. Competing with ball 1^st place was won by the Bulgarian Silvia Miteva, 2^nd by Militina Stanyuta and 3^rd Daria Kondakova. 

In hoop ensembles 1^st place took the team of Italy, 2^nd the team of Belarus, and 3^rd the team of Bulgaria. In rope and ribbon 1^st place was won by the team of Belarus, 2^nd by the team of Italy and 3^rd by Bulgaria. 

The Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship in Kalamata is the fourth out of eight World Championships in 2010. It is only a "stop" in the annual ranking for athletes and ensembles since their evaluation is based on the sum of assessments of each apparatus, received during all the championships this year. So at the end of the year the ones who have gathered the most points are the winners of each apparatus - rope, ball, ribbon, hoop, and ensembles - the winners in category with 5 hoops or 3 ribbons/2 ropes. 

Since the beginning of the year athletes have participated in the World Championships in Montreal, Debrecen and Portimao. The next Championship will be held in Petersburg on April 3 and 4. We wish luck to all the girls!