15/05/13 - Great Britain’s senior women's artistic team produced a sensational performance in the qualifications at the 2014 European Championships in Sofia to top the team rankings.

Hannah Whelan, , Rebecca Downie, and all contributed faultless routines to the team total of 172.147 points which saw them sit proudly at the top of the scoreboard ahead of Romania (171.130) and Russia (170.621).

The girls will head in to Saturday’s team final high on confidence knowing a similar performance could put them on the medal podium.

The format of the competition meant that three of the five strong team had to compete on each piece of apparatus and every routine counted toward the final team score – the top 8 being the target for the final. Under this pressure the girls thrived, every routine was performed cleanly and every girl did their job for the team.

The mood was set starting off on beam, a notoriously nervy apparatus, where all girls showed fantastic composure which continued and strengthened throughout the competition. The team score was the main target for the girls but there were also outstanding individual performances that see gymnasts in to individual apparatus finals on Sunday.

16 year old GBR debutante Claudia Fragapane powered her way in to the (2nd scoring 14.766) and (3rd scoring 14.462) finals with Rebecca Downie 5th in the beam rankings (scoring 14.200) and top on bars scoring a magnificent 15.100. If it wasn’t for the two per country into final ruling GBR could have had three girls in the bars final, Rebecca Tunney joins Rebecca Downie placing in 3rd scoring 14.966 with Ruby Harrold missing out in 7th spot.

Hannah Whelan summed up the GBR mood “We are all just so proud of that performance. We are a very close team and every girl produced for the team today. We were very focussed on the team and that showed as we all supported each other and all wanted to do our best for each other. The support for the British fans in the crowd really spurred us on and we couldn’t have asked for much more – to be top of the rankings is an incredible achievement.”

Claudia said “I’m a bit overwhelmed. I was so nervous coming in to this as it’s my first major championships but the girls have been fantastic and we did this together as a team. I knew that my floor and vault were strong and I focussed on just doing what I do in the gym; to make two individual finals is just amazing!”

Becky Downie “The team was absolutely the priority today and everyone contributed. We have a really strong unit of girls who were really well prepared for today. Individually I’m really happy to have made beam final and of course to top the bars rankings. I didn’t perform my hardest bars routine today as I’m saving that for the final, its great to know that I have a bit extra and I can just go out and enjoy being in the final and we’ll see where that takes me.”

Competition reports

Beam Ruby Harrold began the competition for Great Britain. She had to fight hard mid routine to stay on but managed to re-balance and complete cleanly to score 13.033. Hannah Whelan showed all her experience to complete a very neat, precise, well executed routine scoring a superb 14.091. Rebecca Downie finished off with another brilliant display, the GBR girls dispelling any beam nerves, as Becky performed another difficult yet well executed routine to score a hugely impressive 14.200.

Floor Hannah Whelan was again showing superb form as we moved on to floor, all her tumbles were well executed and well controlled giving the team the perfect start with a score of 13.700. Ruby Harrold floor was full of expression and performance while her tumbles were neat and precise for 13.800. Claudia Fragapane, making her senior debut, showed why she is a renowned floor worker with huge highly difficult tumbles stuck perfectly for a massive score of 14.766.

Vault The British girls were equally impressive on vault, British champion Rebecca Tunney and Rebecca Downie both ding identical vaults showing superb form to score 14.600. Claudia Fragapane then demonstrated more of her incredible power to score 14.625 for the team and then with her second vault – required as she is aiming for vault final – scored her 14.300 for a 14.462 vault average.

Bars Ruby Harrold's bars routine always wows the crowds and she again demonstrated her unique skills, she completed cleanly for an impressive 14.666. Rebecca Tunney followed up in style with an outstanding performance, high in difficulty as she transferred from high to low bar, a near perfect dismount to give her 14.966. Last up was Becky Downie who delivered an incredible routine to end the competition for GBR, the best performance of the championships, hugely difficult but brilliantly executed to score a huge 15.1.

The championships continue Friday 16th with the junior all-around final featuring GBR’s and Catherine Lyons.