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1999 World Championship Trials - Men

Melbourne Sports & Entertainment Centre
20 Aug, 1999

Andrei Kravtsov
Kravstov was again the most dominant, winning with an easy margin. His best was PH (9.650). His routines were probably by his standard mediocre, but in a class above the rest of the field. On High bar he did three consecutive releases (Tkatchev, Tkatchev, Gienger), and on floor has added in a shoulder spin after his flairs sequence ala Alexei Nemov. He vaulted what I can only describe as the men's version of a "Phelps" vault (can anyone help me with the name and SV??), not as impressive as his full twisting Kasamatsu. By coming first, Andrei has secured a spot on the Australian team and will surely have high expectations of himself at the Worlds given his excellent results in International competition earlier this year. Kravtsov placed 19th at the World Championships in Sabae in 1995.
Brennon Dowrick
The stalwart of the Australian team, set to compete in his SEVENTH World Championships, Dowrick was solid all night except for PB where a fall and a break took his score down to 7.700. He vaulted a lovely Yurchenko full for 9.00 and dismounted rings with a double front half out in pike for 9.100.

Damian Istria This young guy really impressed me. When I spoke to him after the comp he said he was still only 16 years old, and with the grit, determination and strength he has now, he will surely go a long way! He has lots of big skills. On Floor he tumbles a handspring layout full, layout, rudi; and uses a double layout as his last pass. A few steps out reduced his score to 8.750. On vault he performed a full twisting Kasamatsu, put his hands down but still managed 9.100. On Rings he shows off 2 inverted crosses, ONeill to Guczoghy and a double pike front dismount (8.900). Pommels did cause him some troubles (7.35). Istria later told me he was "Stoked!" at his performance. He said "I had a very good comp! I jumped about two points from my last competition so it is a big leap!". He was visibly thrilled by his performance. With a few more years experience, Istria could be Australia's next big star....

Ian Bartlett Another surprise performer, 18 year old Barltett said he was "very surprised, I shocked myself" at his fourth place finishing. A quiet consistent worker, Bartlett showed a Guczoghy and a double layout off rings, and on floor tumbled a layout front full, layout, rudi; punch rudi; and a double tuck for 8.400. About his goals for this competiton he said "I was aiming for 50 points, so scoring 51.100 is just a bonus!" and "trying to be consistent on each apparatus" is what he will be working on in the Training Camp before final selections. On the World University Games in Spain where he recently competed, he said that the experience was "unreal, really good. Being up with world champions for the first time ever was just an unbelieveable experience, I learnt a lot there". And his personal goals for the World Championships? "The first one is to make the team, then if I do make the team it is to be consistent. Just make sure I help the team out as much as I can. I don't want to disappoint the team and bring them down, so it's important for me to try and concentrate on my routines and be consistent". Bartlett says his favourite apparatus is High Bar, as that is where he has had the best results.

Philippe Rizzo
Rizzo was right up there and had third place basically wrapped up until he came to his last piece, Pommels where he had one fall, then fell on top of the horse as he was preparing to dismount (7.15). On his best apparatus High Bar, he hit his feet on the bar as he caught his piked Jaeger, had another break, but hit his Def and his double double dismount (8.050). His best piece was PB (9.200) followed by FX (9.100). After coming third at this year's nationals, Rizzo must be a little disappointed at this performance. There is no doubt he is one of Australia's best, this night just wasn't his night.

Daniel Grigson Grigson told me that his performance in this competition was a "shocker! It was my wost competition for about 2 or 3 years!". Indeed he did have a few problems, he fell on his first Kovacs on HB but caught the second one (8.300), sat down his Hristakieva type vault (8.300), fell on PB (8.35). His highest score, 8.55 came on Floor where he tumbled an arabian 1 3/4 with 1/2 twist, a whip 1 1/2 and a double tuck. On rings he perfomed an ONeill and Guczoghy for 8.400. Grigson admitted to me that he was "very surprised" about Bartlett's fantastic performance, but wished him luck. Grigson certainly performed well below his potential, but his experience in International competition should be an asset for the team should he be selected.

Dane Smith
Another young competitor from Qld, Dane was in second spot (if I recall correctly) after 3 rotations with some fantastic scores: 8.650 on Rings, 9.500 on his Handspring double front vault (the only one performed) and 8.450 on PB, highlighted by two double backs and a double pike dismount. But things went downhill from there, on HB he fell on his Gienger release, but made his Kovacs and double double dismount for 8.050. Despite warming up a full in on FX he only competed a double tuck, alongside a front full, front layout, Rudi pass, for 7.750. He then came off the side of Pommels to register only 6.500, the lowest score of the night.
Adrian Looney
I will now skip down to the performance of Adrian Looney. I really do feel bad for Adrian who surely must have thought he could manage a top 6 placing. It really was a horror competition. Top scoring on PB with 8.750 then followed by 8.650 on Vault (Phelps style, with step to side); Looney fell on his Stalder to Tkatchev on High Bar, continued to hit his feet on the bar in his Endos, eventually falling for a second time (7.800). Floor exercise didn't get any better, falling on his double tuck and also on his RO whip 1 1/2 punch Rudi combination (7.200). Finally on Pommels he came off three times to score 6.600.
The best of the rest....
Pavel Mamin scored very well on his pet event, Rings, with 9.650. He performed a full twisting Kasamatsu on Vault but stumbled backwards into the stack of crashmats for 8.950. Nathan Kingston scored 9.100 on his best, Pommels and also 8.750 on High Bar, highlighted by his unusual release (I can't remember the name of it. Anyone?) and double double dismount. Justin Ng seemed a step behind the rest of the field, top scoring on Vault (8.400) with a layout Tskuahara. Mark Read was also a bit behind the pace, but excelled on Vault (9.050).
Impressions, Predictions etc...
Of all the guys in the top 6 it will be really difficult to pull someone out, given their results. However I do believe that Mamin will be included in the team for his strength on Vault and Rings. Grigson and Rizzo would be good team members given their prior international experience. Bartlett and Smith are both exciting prospects for the team and it would be a shame to see Bartlett pulled out. Looney? Well, he would not have impressed the selectors or Warwick Forbes with his performance here. I am not sure if he is included in this training camp or not, but he will certainly need to prove his worth if he is to be selected to travel to Tianjin.