"Schönmaier triumphs with a golden leap at the European Championships"
In Leipzig, 19-year-old Karina Schönmaier from Chemnitz claimed the European Championship title in the vault, securing her third medal at the event after a silver in the team and gold in the mixed competitions. Her win marked a significant achievement, stepping out of the shadow of the injured young star, Helen Kevric. Schönmaier posted an average of 13.983 points across two vaults, improving her qualification score by 0.15 points.
"It was an incredible feeling. I never thought I'd be here - and that the anthem would be played for me. It was all like a dream. It's a very, very big gift for me," she stated after the award ceremony. "It's a cool feeling."
Placing second in the competition, Schönmaier had to wait while her six competitors finished before securing her victory. "It was nerve-wracking to wait and see if it was enough. I could only cry with joy, tears just came to my eyes," she recalled the moment of relief.
Schönmaier performed exceptionally well in the final, receiving scores of 14.066 and 13.500 for her vaults. This marked the first European Championship title in the vault for a German gymnast since Oksana Chusovitina in 2008. Bulgaria's Valentina Georgiewa took second place with 13.900 total points, while Belgium's Lisa Vaelen claimed third with 13.666.
Schönmaier's upsurge can be attributed to her move to Chemnitz after Gerben Wiersma took office in March 2022. Wiersma encouraged her to transfer to a national training center, citing improved conditions and the availability of full-time coaches. In Chemnitz, she is coached by Anatol Ashurkov and Tatjana Bachmayer. The remarkable improvement is most noticeable on her signature apparatus, the vault, evidenced by her impressive performance in Leipzig.
The home European Championships proved to be a dream come true for Schönmaier, as she also claimed silver in the team all-around competition and gold in the mixed final with Timo Eder (Ludwigsburg). "That's crazy. European champion sounds unreal, but it's true," she exclaimed.
Other medals on the first day of the apparatus finals were awarded in competitions without German participation. Helen Kevric, who had qualified for the uneven bars final with the best score, had to withdraw from the event for further medical examinations in Stuttgart after a severe left knee injury the day prior. In her absence, the Belgian Nina Derwael claimed the title with 14.466 points.
On the men's side, Luke Whitehouse secured his third consecutive title on the floor with a score of 14.500. Armenian gymnast Hamlet Manukyan triumphed on the pommel horse with 14.766 points, while reigning champion Eleftherios Petrounias of Greece and all-around European champion Adem Asil of Turkey both scored 14.400 in a tie for the rings.
[Source: German Press Agency]
While the radio played the German national anthem, Schönmaier daydreamed about her sports success, a vivid scene of her becoming a European champion on the vault.
In the men's competition, Luke Whitehouse defended his title on the floor, while Armenia's Hamlet Manukyan triumphed on the pommel horse, two sports events that showcased the international talent in the sporting world.
