International GYMNAST Magazine Online: Greek Teams Chosen For Stuttgart Worlds

Greek Teams Chosen For Stuttgart Worlds
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Stelios Karaoglanidis on Wednesday, August 22, 2007
 
The Greeks team for the World Championships (Sept. 1-9 in Stuttgart) include
several veterans, but not 2004 Olympic rings champion Dimosthenis Tambakos.  
Stefani Bisbikou
On August 22, the Greek men's and women's teams were announced, They include
Vlasios Maras, Vasilis Tsolakidis, Christos Lympanovnos, Dimitris Markousis,
Xenophon Kosmidis, Mihalis Doulkeridis and alternate Eleftherios Kosmidis
(men); and Stefani Bisbikou (right), Viktoria Tsakalidou, Evgenia Zafiraki,
Anna Orfanou, Vasiliki Georgakopoulou, Vasiliki Milloussi and alternate
Despoina Grigoriadou (women).
The decision was officially announced exactly three years after the greatest
achievement of Tambakos's career. He won his Olympic title in Athens on August
22, 2004.
After his victory in the Athens Games, Tambakos competed only in two major
competitions (the 2005 and 2006 World Championships), but in both occasions he
failed by a small margin to make the rings final.
Although Tambakos has been participating in the summer training camps without
any serious injury problem, the decision to not include him on the team for the
first time in over a decade was an exclusively technical decision. It was not
because of him being injured or unfit.
Tambakos would have competed on only two events (rings and high bar) in
Stuttgart. This would mean that almost every other gymnast on the team would
compete on all six events. In case of a last-minute injury, it could have been
a problem for the team to complete a total of 30 routines (five per event).
Tambakos intends to travel to Stuttgart, along with his coach Alekos
Ioakimidis, as a gesture of team spirit and in order to support his teammates'
efforts.
"The team has helped us in the past and now it is time for us to support it,"
Ioakimidis said. "Thanks to the team effort in 1999 Worlds, Dimosthenis was
able to compete in the (2000) Sydney Olympics. After all, the team is above
all, and everybody's wish is that we succeed in Stuttgart."
Another notable selection is that Eleftherios Kosmidis, who tied for the bronze
medal on floor exercise at the 2007 European Championships, is the team
alternate. His older brother, Xenophon, is among the six gymnasts who are
scheduled to compete.
Maras, who won the gold medal on high bar at both the 2001 and 2002 Worlds,
finished third on the event at the 2006 Worlds. Also at the 2006 Worlds,
Tsolakidis placed fourth on parallel bars, and Lympanovnos placed 19th
all-around.
Greek men's team head coach Dimitris Raftis (who also coaches two-time world
high bar champion Maras) said the team will strive to place among the top 15 in
Stuttgart, thereby earning two berths to the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. The top
12 teams in Stuttgart will earn full team berths to Beijing.
"Our realistic goal is to be in the top 18, so that we will ensure the presence
of at least one Greek gymnast at Beijing," Raftis said. "However, we will fight
with all strength for 15th place, although we understand that it is very
difficult»."
The Greek men's best World Championships finish to date is 17th place, achieved
at the 1999 and 2006 Worlds.
For the women, Bisbikou and 2000 Olympian Milloussi have the most experience in
world competition. Bisbikou finished 15th all-around at both the 2004 Athens
Olympic Games and the 2005 Worlds. At the 2007 Europeans, she placed 12th
all-around and tied for the bronze medal on balance beam. The Greek women
placed 19th in the team competition at the 2006 Worlds.
"Basically we are aiming for 16th to 18th place in the team competition, but we
might have a chance to get into the top 15," said Greek women's team head coach
Kostas Hatzizisis. "It will be a balanced competition for quite a few teams,
and the result will depend on the condition in which each of them will be on
that day."
International Gymnast Magazine Related Features
"Disappearing Act" - short Maras profile; "Facing the Future" - short Tambakos
profile (January/February 2007)
"Unfinished Business" - Tambakos interview (November 2002)
"So Much So Soon" - Maras profile (February 2003)
Maras and other 2002 world champions in center poster (February 2003)
"Growing In Stature" - Bisbikou profile (December 2002)
Maras on cover photo collage (June/July 2002)
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