:. Grand Prix - Berlin Masters 2003

Grand Prix in Berlin lasted three days. About 2000 spectators saw the final competitions in the "Max-Schmeling-Halle", eight TV stations reported live from this finals. The commercial to this competition was very big. The competition took place in a great hall, preparation was kind a correct. Irina Tchachina from Russia didn't compete, because she didn't have enough points from Grand Prix competitions.
There were qualifications in the first day. Six gymnasts qualifed for the finals: Mary Sanders (USA), Theodora Pallidou (GRE), Yukari Murata (JPN), Alexandra Orlando (CAN), Ketevan Bakuradze (GEO), Dominika Cervenkova (CZE).  Svetlana Putintseva won the qualification before Mary Sanders and Valeria Kurylskaya. Top gymnasts got to the finals without competing. Only the apparatus finals count for the Grand Prix scoring according to which the ranking lists then are being produced. The all-around only serves as qualification for the apparatus finals.

Alina Kabaeva (RUS) won the all-around and beat Anna Bessonova with 3 points. The 3rd was Inna Zhukova (BLR).
Alina Kabaeva
Ball - she made a bad performance. She missed her first throw with legs and had to run to catch it. Alina lost the same throw also in Corbeil. Alina used new music, music is slow and goes stronger at the end. There weren't a harmony between the ball and leotard. Alina had a red ball and brown leotard.
Anna Bessonova
Hoop - very dramatic routine. Music from "Swan lake". Anna had a new hairstyle - a simple pony tail. No big mistakes, only one, where she almost fell down from a movement.
Inna Zhukova
Ball - Inna had to perform her ball routine without music, because there were something wrong with the sound. People clapped to Inna and it was really enjoyable to watch. Inna finished her routine with an amazing catch. She haven't done it for so long, because it hasn't been safe.
The 4th place went to Anna's teammate Tamara Yerofeeva, 5th place to Alina's teammate Zarina Gizikova and 6th place to Aliya Yussupova (KAZ). Aliya trains with Russian stars and is coached by Irina Viner. The best Estonian was Irina Kikkas, who got the 20th place.

The most succesful gymnast in the apparatus finals was Anna Bessonova, who earned two gold medals and one bronze. Anna didn't get to the finals with ribbon, because according to the rule that only two gymnasts from the same country get to the finals, the finalists from Ukraine were Tamara Yerofeeva and Natalia Godunko.
Hoop - Anna missed one catch, when the hoop fell down flat-bottomed. It's a quite big mistake, but Anna still got the 1st place, because she performaed the remaining routine very cleanly.
Ball - Anna made a super routine, but was only the 3rd. She had a pink leotard with skirt, which is quite unusual for Anna.
Clubs - I think it wasn't the best routine from Anna. She made several mistakes with movements and almost has missed the final catch. Anna used her rope music 2002 and wore a golden leotard.
Alina Kabaeva got medals from all apparatuses, but only one gold medal.
Hoop - not very good performance from Alina. Lots of mistakes, but a very beautiful and dramatic routine.
Ball - Alina changed her first catch into a roll, because she didn't want to take a risk and lose a good place. It was visible that Alina was more careful and earned the 2nd place after Simona Peycheva.
Clubs - clean routine, I think. Alina uses the same throws that last year, so all catches were perfect.
Ribbon - Alina took the 2nd gold medal. She startled the spectators with an unusual leotard - long and with skirt.
Tamara Yerofeeva got 2 silver medals, one with hoop and the other with clubs.
Two perfect routines. Great last throw in hoop, which didn't come between Tamara's legs very exactly, but Tamara saved the situation.
Simona Peycheva got only one medal, but also the best - gold. Simona made a great routine without any big mistakes. She also has a new catch at the end, which she caught perfectly.
One medal went to Vera Sessina and Natalia Godunko, both gymnasts got medals with ribbon. Vera's music is from "Jesus Christ Superstar" and Natalia's music is "Bubble Bee".

This year's Miss Tournament is Inna Zhukova.
Belarus won the group competition before Brazil and Germany.

Results

	Total
1. Anna Bessonova	27.750
2. Tamara Yerofeeva	26.750
3. Alina Kabaeva	26.150
4. Inna Zhukova	26.030

	Total
1. Simona Peycheva (BUL)	28.250
2. Alina Kabaeva	28.050
3. Anna Bessonova	27.930
4. Tamara Yerofeeva	27.700

	Total
1. Anna Bessonova	27.980
2. Alina Kabaeva	27.980
3. Tamara Yerofeeva	27.930
4. Inna Zhukova	27.400

	Total
1. Alina Kabaeva	26.900
2. Vera Sessina	25.850
3. Natalia Godunko	25.700
4. Tamara Yerofeeva	25.580

Reports by Nele Põldvere according to videos

:. More comments from the official page
:. The news from here and the original news from Gymmedia
:. Photos from Tom's site
:. Videos in Guillermo's page

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