European Championships Munich 2022: Jessica Gadirova defends European floor title
- Published
'What a routine' - Jessica Gadirova wins gold and retains her title
The European Championships Munich 2022 |
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Hosts: Munich Dates: 11-21 August |
Coverage: Watch live on BBC TV with extra streams on BBC iPlayer, Red Button, BBC Sport website and BBC Sport mobile app. |
Britain's Jessica Gadirova defended her European floor title as Ondine Achampong took beam silver in Munich.
Gadirova, 17, scored a superb 14.000 to beat Italian Martina Maggio's 13.933 and Angela Andreoli's 13.866.
Gadirova's twin Jennifer finished fifth on floor and hugged her sister in celebration after gold was confirmed.
Jessica said she could hear Jennifer cheering during her routine: "I thought, 'I'm doing it for you'. I love her so much," she explained.
"She had watery eyes which made me have watery eyes."
Jennifer said the gold medal "touched my heart", adding: "Last time I was at home watching my sister. I'm so happy for her. Being there on the floor cheering her on... I couldn't ask for any more."
Gadirova - who skipped the Commonwealth Games to focus on Munich and October's World Championships in Liverpool - finished fifth in the vault final having claimed silver on that apparatus in 2021.
"Vault didn't go to plan," she told BBC Sport.
"I missed out on the medals which I was quite disappointed by. I had another chance on floor. I blocked everything out and focussed on my best performance."
Achampong survives 'nerve-wracking' routine
Achampong, 18, added European silver to the gold and two silvers she won at the Commonwealth Games in an impressive first summer of major international senior competition.
She finished with the same score - 13.400 - as beam bronze medallist Carolann Heduit but surpassed the Frenchwoman with her execution as Germany's Emma Malewski won gold with 13.466.
Achampong, who also won team silver alongside the Gadirovas on Saturday, went last in the beam final and said it was "definitely" the biggest routine of her career so far.
"I can't believe it at all," she added. "I went into this beam final with no expectation on myself.
"I tried to take my mind away from what was happening. It was nerve-wracking."
Also on Sunday, Georgia-Mae Fenton finished sixth in the uneven bars final, with compatriot Alice Kinsella eighth.
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