International GYMNAST Magazine Online: French Seniors Defeat British Hosts

French Seniors Defeat British Hosts
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John Crumlish on Saturday, March 15, 2008
 
Pauline Morel led the French senior team to victory in a dual meet hosted
Saturday by the British team in Blackpool, England.    Pauline Morel
Morel, who placed 21st all-around at the 2007 World Championships in Stuttgart,
won the all-around in Blackpool by 0.15 points over Great Britain's Becky
Downie. British gymnast Laura Jones was third (57.25), over France's Laetitia
Dugain (56.70).
Tied for fifth were France's Marine Petit and Great Britain's Hannah Whelan
(56.55). Petit placed 16th all-around at the 2007 Worlds.
2007 world floor exercise bronze medalist Cassy Vericel (France) finished ninth
all-around.
Two-time French Olympian Isabelle Severino competed on three events only, and
tied Downie for the highest score of the day on balance beam. Severino, who
will turn 28 on April 9, placed sixth on balance beam at the 2007 Worlds.
In the team finals at the 2007 Worlds, France and Great Britain placed sixth
and seventh, respectively, and qualified full teams for this summer's Olympic
Games in Beijing.