German Women Defeat Dutch

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The German women finalized their European Championships team following a defeat of the Netherlands Saturday in Friedberg, Bavaria.

The Germans routed their Dutch guests, 174.150-153.050. Veteran Katja Abel won the unofficial all-around title.

Verona van de Leur earned the top score for the Netherlands, a 14.600 on vault for a double-twisting Yurchenko.

"The competition was a successful test for the upcoming Europeans as altogether the gymnasts did not make any big mistakes," German head coach Ulla Koch said.

The five senior women to compete April 3-6 at the European Championships in Clermont-Ferrand, France, will be Jenny Brunner (TuS Chemnitz-Altendorf), Oksana Chusovitina (TTKöln), Marie-Sophie Hindermann (TSG Tübingen) and Joeline Möbius (TuS Chemnitz-Altendorf).

Anja Brinker (TV Herkenrath) competed in Friedberg, but was suffering from the flu and did not qualify for the Europeans.

"The Europeans are a stop on the way to Beijing," Koch said. "We want to carefully build up Anja and not burn her out preterm."

Kim Bui (TSG Tübingen) earned the second-highest all-around score in Friedberg but will not compete in France because of a conflict with her final exams at school.

Hindermann's younger sister Giulia Hindermann will join Frauke Kielies, Pia Tolle, Maike Roll and Elisabeth Seitz on the Junior European squad.

At the 2006 Europeans in Volos, Greece, the German senior team placed 11th. Marie-Sophie Hindermann and Brinker were members of the junior team that placed third, winning Germany's first team medal at a Junior European championships.

External Link: TurnTeam.de
External Link: 2008 Women's European Championships