China won gold in acrobatics in the fight with Ukraine and America; Spain, fifth

Doha, February 4 (EFE). – The Chinese team won the gold medal in the acrobatic exercise, defeating Ukraine and the United States in a very close final and with less than two points between the three teams on the podium.

Spain could not improve its performance in the preliminary round and its score remained practically the same. Mexico fell behind the leading teams, eventually finishing eighth, and the United States, which included the famous Bill May, emerged.

The Chinese, a team with which Spanish coach Anna Terrace collaborates, were the favorites after the preliminary, but after finishing the preliminary with 247.02 and scoring three less in the final for 244.1767, they had to earn it.

The Ukrainians practically copied the preliminary scores (243.3 in the final; 243.2 in the prelims) and the big winners of the final were the Americans, who performed brilliant exercises, full of acrobatics and in which their jumpers performed brilliantly.

They clawed their way back to the finals and went from 220 points submitted in qualifying to 242.3 to reach the podium.

Those who lost this status were Mexico, which suffered two penalties and dropped to eighth place, and Canada, which finished fourth, receiving 222.1367 points, slightly ahead of Spain, which followed the classification.

Despite all efforts, there was no improvement in Spain. The plasticity of the jumpers Cristina Armbula and Sara Saldaña, the stability of the team and the explosive power performed, with seven elements of maximum tension, jumps, flexibility and which do not allow rest during the three minutes of the routine, did not . Let him improve.

However, this was the first time that they presented this exercise, which is somewhere between artistic and spectacle, thus the acrobatic exercise, which counts for one third of the total for Olympic classification.

As Sara Saldana said at the end of the practice, now the team has to put its value with its technical and free routines and play everything to qualify for the Games.

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“It’s a routine that requires you to endure a lot, because we do a lot of risky things with acrobatics, but at the same time it’s a routine that is not as tiring as others and you can surpass others by giving it more. “Can enjoy it more than that.” Energy and more power”, said.

Saldana commented that the team is on the road. “Now we need to show in the technical and free practice, where we are going to show what improvements we have made,” he stressed.

The Madrid native, one of two jumpers on the team, recalled the hours of preparation required for the acrobatics. “You suffer, but when you go out, which is most of the time, you enjoy it more,” he said.

Spain’s practice is a mixture. It initially opens with a fusion of the operatic ‘Carmina Burana’ and gradually builds a story that ends with Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’, an inspiration that came from the 2021 Superbowl final.

Spanish swimsuits are black, with shoulder pads and a zipper, and simulate Zelda’s warriors. The Spaniards, if they qualify for the Paris Games, promise to improve their routines to give their best.

francisco avila

(c) EFE Agency