Ferrari displayed the form that landed her the 2006 all-round world title by impressing the judges on all four apparatus to secure the Italians a place in the July 27-August 12 London Games.

Ferrari, Erika Fasana and Carlotta Ferlito made sure Italy held on to the lead from start to finish as they eclipsed Canada by 2.708 points. France and a hugely relieved Brazil overcame falls from the beam to snatch the final two spots to complete the 12-nation line-up for the team competition at the Olympics.

They join the United States, Russia, China, Romania, Britain, Germany, Japan and Australia, who had all booked their places at the world championships in October.

“We were well prepared. We have been training hard since July last year. After not getting through at the Tokyo world championships we continued to train even harder and are so, so happy to be here,” said Italy’s Chiara Gandolfi.

While Italy enjoyed a smooth ride thanks to the nerveless displays of Ferrari, Fasana and Ferlito – who completed a sweep of the top three places in the all-round standings – the real drama was to see who would grab the last two places.

The occasion seemed to get to many of the competitors whose Olympic hopes disappeared in a flash after they lost their grip on the asymmetric bars or tumbled off the beam.

Brazil, who had become the crowd favourite following their rousing, high-energy routines on the floor, looked to be out of the running when Jade Barbosa lost her balance on the beam and slipped off.

Her mark of 11.866 left Brazil out of the top four and Barbosa broke down in tears as her team mates huddled around her in support.

She turned her back to the competition area, unable to watch her final team mate, Daniele Hypolito, execute her routine.

Once Hypolito completed her dismount, the Brazilians stood in a line holding hands, their eyes fixed on the large scoreboard as they anxiously awaited the final verdict.

As their total score of 217.985 flashed up, Brazil’s entire entourage of coaches and gymnasts erupted in joy and celebrated their last-gasp success in landing a place at the Olympics.

(Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Clare Fallon)

Ferrari displayed the form that landed her the 2006
all-round world title by impressing the judges on all four
apparatus to secure the Italians a place in the July 27-Aug. 12
London Games.

Ferrari, Erika Fasana and Carlotta Ferlito made sure Italy
held on to the lead from start to finish as they eclipsed Canada
by 2.708 points. France and a hugely relieved Brazil overcame
falls from the beam to snatch the final two spots to complete
the 12-nation line-up for the team competition at the Olympics.

They join the United States, Russia, China, Romania,
Britain, Germany, Japan and Australia, who had all booked their
places at the world championships in October.

“We were well prepared. We have been training hard since
July last year. After not getting through at the Tokyo world
championships we continued to train even harder and are so, so
happy to be here,” said Italy’s Chiara Gandolfi.

While Italy enjoyed a smooth ride thanks to the nerveless
displays of Ferrari, Fasana and Ferlito – who completed a sweep
of the top three places in the all-round standings – the real
drama was to see who would grab the last two places.

The occasion seemed to get to many of the competitors whose
Olympic hopes disappeared in a flash after they lost their grip
on the asymmetric bars or tumbled off the beam.

Brazil, who had become the crowd favourite following their
rousing, high-energy routines on the floor, looked to be out of
the running when Jade Barbosa lost her balance on the beam and
slipped off.

Her mark of 11.866 left Brazil out of the top four and
Barbosa broke down in tears as her team mates huddled around her
in support.

She turned her back to the competition area, unable to watch
her final team mate, Daniele Hypolito, execute her routine.

Once Hypolito completed her dismount, the Brazilians stood
in a line holding hands, their eyes fixed on the large
scoreboard as they anxiously awaited the final verdict.

As their total score of 217.985 flashed up, Brazil’s entire
entourage of coaches and gymnasts erupted in joy and celebrated
their last-gasp success in landing a place at the Olympics.

(Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by Clare Fallon)

The news, more than 24 hours after the men’s qualifying competition ended, will come as a huge relief to the Bulgarian gymnastics federation as the 38-year-old Jovtchev had said its survival depended on whether he made it to London for the July 27-August 12 event.

“He did great so he deserves to go to the Olympics. He’s exceptional,” Jovtchev’s coach Krasimir Dunev told Reuters.

Dunev competed alongside Jovtchev as his team mate at the 1992 and 1996 Olympics.

While Dunev gave up the sport more than 15 years ago, Jovtchev still thrives on the challenge of testing his skills, and his bruised body, against his 20-something rivals.

“I’m worried about how he keeps going against these younger rivals. But he does better many of them,” said Dunev of Jovtchev, who plans to compete only in his signature rings discipline.

Complicated qualification criteria meant officials had to spend hours going through the results to work out which individuals would be granted a place at the Games.

Gymnasts from the 12 nations who had earned the right to send full teams had to be taken out of the equation before scores from individual athletes could be taken into account.

“Qualifying means a lot. It will be nice to be here again (for the Olympics),” Jovtchev told Reuters at the thought of making a return trip to the North Greenwich Arena, which will also host the Olympic gymnastics event, in July.

“I just want to do another Olympics because I will be the only male gymnast who has been to six Olympics. To be here will be unique. It’s not 100 percent about winning.

“My goal is to be here and enjoy the Olympic Games without any pressure as before I was always fighting for a medal.

“I will take a break for a couple of months and then start training again for the Olympics,” added the 2004 rings silver medallist who has been nursing shoulder and elbow injuries this week.

The four-times world champion’s qualification will ensure that members of his back-up team, such as Dunev, can sleep well after securing their jobs for at least a few more months.

“I’m competing to support the Bulgarian gymnastics federation. If we have a gymnast who goes to the Olympic Games, then we will have head coach, a masseuse, doctors…going to the Olympics,” Jovtchev, who is also the body’s president, said after competing on Tuesday.

“If we don’t have a male going to the Olympics, it will be tough for the Bulgarian gymnastics federation to survive. (So keeping a lot of people employed) is part of it.”

A pair of double world champions, Brazil’s Diego Hypolito and Vlasios Maras from Greece, will also enjoy the advantage of having already competed here this week as they too secured individual spots for the Olympics.

(Editing by Clare Fallon)

The news, more than 24 hours after the men’s qualifying
competition ended, will come as a huge relief to the Bulgarian
gymnastics federeration as the 38-year-old Jovtchev had said its
survival depended on whether he made it to London for the July
27-Aug. 12 event.

“He did great so he deserves to go to the Olympics. He’s
exceptional,” Jovtchev’s coach Krasimir Dunev told Reuters.

Dunev competed alongside Jovtchev as his team mate at the
1992 and 1996 Olympics.

While Dunev gave up the sport more than 15 years ago,
Jovtchev still thrives on the challenge of testing his skills,
and his bruised body, against his 20-something rivals.

“I’m worried about how he keeps going against these younger
rivals. But he does better many of them,” said Dunev of
Jovtchev, who plans to compete only in his signature rings
discipline.

Complicated qualification criteria meant officials had to
spend hours going through the results to work out which
individuals would be granted a place at the Games.

Gymnasts from the 12 nations who had earned the right to
send full teams had to be taken out of the equation before
scores from individual athletes could be taken into account.

“Qualifying means a lot. It will be nice to be here again
(for the Olympics),” Jovtchev told Reuters at the thought of
making a return trip to the North Greenwich Arena, which will
also host the Olympic gymnastics event, in July.

“I just want to do another Olympics because I will be the
only male gymnast who has been to six Olympics. To be here will
be unique. It’s not 100 percent about winning.

“My goal is to be here and enjoy the Olympic Games without
any pressure as before I was always fighting for a medal.

“I will take a break for a couple of months and then start
training again for the Olympics,” added the 2004 rings silver
medallist who has been nursing shoulder and elbow injuries this
week.

The four-times world champion’s qualification will ensure
that members of his back-up team, such as Dunev, can sleep well
after securing their jobs for at least a few more months.

“I’m competing to support the Bulgarian gymnastics
federation. If we have a gymnast who goes to the Olympic Games,
then we will have head coach, a masseuse, doctors…going to the
Olympics,” Jovtchev, who is also the body’s president, said
after competing on Tuesday.

“If we don’t have a male going to the Olympics, it will be
tough for the Bulgarian gymnastics federation to survive. (So
keeping a lot of people employed) is part of it.”

A pair of double world champions, Brazil’s Diego Hypolito
and Vlasios Maras from Greece, will also enjoy the advantage of
having already competed here this week as they too secured
individual spots for the Olympics.

(Editing by Clare Fallon)

The British team, featuring Olympic pommel horse bronze
medallist Louis Smith and 2009 world all-round silver medallist
Keatings, had to wait until 199 days before the Games kick off
to secure their place in the final lineup after failing to make
the cut during last October’s world championships in Tokyo.

Britain finished on 358.227 points, more than seven ahead of
nearest rivals France. Spain and Italy grabbed the final two
men’s team spots for the Olympics.

Canada had led the competition after two rotations but were
edged out by just 0.442 of a point.

The four qualifiers on Tuesday will be vying for the Olympic
team accolade with China, Japan, United States, Russia, Ukraine,
Germany, South Korea and Romania.

Three months ago, botched performances on the horizontal bar
cost Britain dear and on Tuesday the same apparatus again proved
to be their weak link as they stood fifth in the standings
following the first of six rotations.

But strong displays on the pommel horse, with Keatings,
Smith and teenager Max Whitlock all breaching the 15-point
barrier thanks to their fast-paced swivels over the wood, helped
them to surge into the lead by the end of the fourth rotation.

As if the strawberry pink backdrop of the arena was not
bright enough, the British competitors set the O2 alight as they
soared through the air to execute dazzling vaults.

With the five men earning scores from 15.633 to 16.266,
deafening chants of GB-GB-GB gave the home team a taste of what
they can expect when they come back for the biggest show on
earth.

Purvis drew gasps with his twisting combination and, after
earning the team’s highest score of 16.266 of the day, rivals
all over the world would have noted that could stake a claim for
the individual Olympic medals later this year.

Having opened up a 6.375 point lead with one apparatus
remaining, Keatings, Purvis and company were determined to enjoy
their moment in the spotlight and effectively turned their
exhibitions on the parallel bars into a victory lap.

Punching the air in delight, they stood on top of the podium
caressing their medals.

Repeating Tuesday’s success again on July 30, however, is
likely to be only a pipe dream as gymnastics powerhouses China
and Japan should battle it out for the top prize.

To cap Britain’s day, Purvis and Keatings finished first and
third respectively in the all-round standings.

(Reporting by Pritha Sarkar, editing by John Mehaffey)

“I’m competing to support the Bulgarian gymnastics federation. If we have a gymnast who goes to the Olympic Games, then we will have a head coach, a masseuse, doctors going to the Olympics,” Jovtchev, elected president of the body in 2009, told Reuters on Tuesday after competing at the Olympic qualifying event in the North Greenwich Arena.

“If we don’t have a male going to the Olympics, it will be tough for the Bulgarian gymnastics federation to survive. (So keeping a lot of people employed) is part of it,” he added with a grin.

As a veteran of five Olympics and winner of four world titles, Jovtchev’s career is now spilling over into a third decade during which time he has been recognised as Bulgaria’s most famous and decorated gymnast.

Jovtchev arrived in London with a torn left shoulder muscle and a sore elbow but hid his pain well to perform the tumbles, twists and turns needed to impress the judges on the six apparatus.

With his distinctive salt-and-pepper hair, Jovtchev could easily be mistaken for an official or a coach whenever he marches into a sporting arena. But lift him up on the rings and the years fade away.

Unsurprisingly he was one of the top performers in the strongman’s event and executed an array of manoeuvres which showed off his bulging muscles to great effect on the opening day of the Olympic test event.

Making it all look easy, however, was not easy.

“Making me do six events to qualify. It’s so tough on me,” said Jovtchev, who could easily turn up for an encore at the O2 Arena later this month when it stages the live stage tour of Dancing With the Stars after shimming his way to fourth place in the Bulgarian version of the show two years ago.

“(Trying to recover from the shoulder injury) took a lot of my energy and it’s tough. When you are in pain and trying to train through it, motivation goes down. It took me a lot of time to get ready for this competition.

“At 38, it’s really really difficult to get going and do stuff. I guess it’s time to finish. (I had said that after Beijing) but it really looks now that I am old,” he added.

“Doing one event doesn’t really bother me that much if I am healthy. If I’m healthy then it’s fun. But if I’m injured and having to do all six events, that’s not fun. If it continues like this, I better quit. If I’m healthy, then I enjoy it because whatever you try, then it happens.

“I guess my body is telling me I’m too old for this.”

While Jovtchev might feel like a relic competing against a bunch of 20-somethings, he desperately wants to make the 2012 Olympic cut to leave a lasting legacy in the sport.

“I just want to do another Olympics because I will be the only male gymnast who has been to six Olympics. To be here again (at the North Greenwich Arena for the Games in July) will be unique,” said the Bulgarian, who has won 17 world and Olympic medals during his career.

“It hurts that I never won an Olympic gold. I am getting old and my chances are now limited to almost zero. I doubt I’ll ever get that gold medal now. I’m not really counting on a gold anymore. I’m competing just for fun.”

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)

“I’m competing to support the Bulgarian gymnastics
federation. If we have a gymnast who goes to the Olympic Games,
then we will have a head coach, a masseuse, doctors going to
the Olympics,” Jovtchev, elected president of the body in 2009,
told Reuters on Tuesday after competing at the Olympic
qualifying event in the North Greenwich Arena.

“If we don’t have a male going to the Olympics, it will be
tough for the Bulgarian gymnastics federation to survive. (So
keeping a lot of people employed) is part of it,” he added with
a grin.

As a veteran of five Olympics and winner of four world
titles, Jovtchev’s career is now spilling over into a third
decade during which time he has been recognised as Bulgaria’s
most famous and decorated gymnast.

Jovtchev arrived in London with a torn left shoulder muscle
and a sore elbow but hid his pain well to perform the tumbles,
twists and turns needed to impress the judges on the six
apparatus.

With his distinctive salt-and-pepper hair, Jovtchev could
easily be mistaken for an official or a coach whenever he
marches into a sporting arena. But lift him up on the rings and
the years fade away.

Unsurprisingly he was one of the top performers in the
strongman’s event and executed an array of manoeuvres which
showed off his bulging muscles to great effect on the opening
day of the Olympic test event.

Making it all look easy, however, was not easy.

“Making me do six events to qualify. It’s so tough on me,”
said Jovtchev, who could easily turn up for an encore at the O2
Arena later this month when it stages the live stage tour of
Dancing With the Stars after shimming his way to fourth place in
the Bulgarian version of the show two years ago.

“(Trying to recover from the shoulder injury) took a lot of
my energy and it’s tough. When you are in pain and trying to
train through it, motivation goes down. It took me a lot of time
to get ready for this competition.

“At 38, it’s really really difficult to get going and do
stuff. I guess it’s time to finish. (I had said that after
Beijing) but it really looks now that I am old,” he added.

“Doing one event doesn’t really bother me that much if I am
healthy. If I’m healthy then it’s fun. But if I’m injured and
having to do all six events, that’s not fun. If it continues
like this, I better quit. If I’m healthy, then I enjoy it
because whatever you try, then it happens.

“I guess my body is telling me I’m too old for this.”

While Jovtchev might feel like a relic competing against a
bunch of 20-somethings, he desperately wants to make the 2012
Olympic cut to leave a lasting legacy in the sport.

“I just want to do another Olympics because I will be the
only male gymnast who has been to six Olympics. To be here again
(at the North Greenwich Arena for the Games in July) will be
unique,” said the Bulgarian, who has won 17 world and Olympic
medals during his career.

“It hurts that I never won an Olympic gold. I am getting old
and my chances are now limited to almost zero. I doubt I’ll ever
get that gold medal now. I’m not really counting on a gold
anymore. I’m competing just for fun.”

(Editing by Pritha Sarkar)

Once that vision came true in April in Moscow’s Khodynka Ice Palace, where he was crowned world champion after romping to victory by decimating the opposition with record scores, Chan discovered that the reality did not quite match up to his ideology.

As he approaches his 21st birthday, Chan feels more and more drawn towards his Chinese heritage.

“If you look at all the sports in China, the government is extremely involved and they are extremely proud of their athletes. People understand better what we do as skaters,” Chan told Reuters in a telephone interview ahead of this week’s Grand Prix Final in Quebec.

“Sometimes I feel we are not appreciated for how much work we put in. If my parents hadn’t emigrated from China and say I had skated for China, things would have been very different. My parents wouldn’t have had to make as much sacrifices as they have and there would be a lot more respect for what we do as figure skaters.

“I’m extremely well recognised in Korea just because of what I do on the ice and there is a lack of that in Canada because hockey is our sport and it will be for eternity. Figure skating has lost the draw and the attention (it used to have before).”

Whereas Elvis Stojko and Kurt Browning were treated as rockstars and showered with plaudits during the 1980s and 90s — when Canadian men glided to eight world titles in 11 years — the skating landscape for Chan in 2011 is very different.

“Several years ago I felt more Canadian but I’m slowly feeling more Chinese and feel I should be more proud of being Chinese and appreciate where I’ve come from. (This is because) of the support I get from the Chinese community in Canada,” Chan, who is fluent in English, French and Cantonese, said as he took a break from his intensive training schedule.

“I do (wish I could have represented both China and Canada when I compete). That would be the ideal situation… in a perfect world.”

It seems that in more ways than one, Chan has found himself trapped in the wrong era.

The accumulative scoring system that was introduced following the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics appears to have stifled creativity on the ice — with athletes required to perform several compulsory elements in each routine — but Chan is determined not to turn into a skating robot.

His graceful movement around the ice brings back memories of 1976 Olympic champion John Curry, who famously combined ballet and modern dance elements in his captivating performances.

“We have much more complexity in our programmes than the skaters in the 80s but the skating in the 80s was much more epic and much more memorable. There was a lot more uniqueness between each skater whereas nowadays it’s almost become a production line,” said Chan, who plans to introduce a quadruple-Salchow to his free skate by next month.

“Everyone’s doing the same thing, just maybe in a different order. So I hope I can be somewhat of a throwback skater in the fact that I can bring excitement back. I can be like the black sheep of the herd, be different and be unique and be someone people will remember out of the 50 skaters at the world championships.”

For most sportsmen, the best way to stand out from a crowd is by earning a title or a gold medal. But having been there and done that, Chan, surprisingly, does not want to get caught up in a rat race where chasing after the big prizes and records becomes an all-consuming obsession.

“I feel a lot less pressure now that I’m world champion. I feel like I don’t have any expectations and I can really just skate for myself. I’ve got absolutely nothing to prove to anyone,” said Chan, who holds the records for the highest ever scores in both the short (93.02 points) and free (187.96) programmes.

“I skate just to satisfy my own desire and not care about other people’s desire for me to do well. I barely have any interest any more in how well I do in competitions. I want to skate well but my main concern is to satisfy myself and make myself enjoy what I do on the ice and hopefully the audience can feel the same thing.

“If they feel they have understood the programme and have been really been touched, then I feel much more accomplished than if I won a medal,” added the skater who is favourite to complete a hat-trick of Grand Prix wins this season in Quebec.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

Once that vision came true in April in Moscow’s Khodynka Ice Palace, where he was crowned world champion after romping to victory by decimating the opposition with record scores, Chan discovered that the reality did not quite match up to his ideology.

As he approaches his 21st birthday, Chan feels more and more drawn towards his Chinese heritage.

“If you look at all the sports in China, the government is extremely involved and they are extremely proud of their athletes. People understand better what we do as skaters,” Chan told Reuters in a telephone interview ahead of this week’s Grand Prix Final in Quebec.

“Sometimes I feel we are not appreciated for how much work we put in. If my parents hadn’t emigrated from China and say I had skated for China, things would have been very different. My parents wouldn’t have had to make as much sacrifices as they have and there would be a lot more respect for what we do as figure skaters.

“I’m extremely well recognized in Korea just because of what I do on the ice and there is a lack of that in Canada because hockey is our sport and it will be for eternity. Figure skating has lost the draw and the attention (it used to have before).”

Whereas Elvis Stojko and Kurt Browning were treated as rockstars and showered with plaudits during the 1980s and 90s — when Canadian men glided to eight world titles in 11 years — the skating landscape for Chan in 2011 is very different.

“Several years ago I felt more Canadian but I’m slowly feeling more Chinese and feel I should be more proud of being Chinese and appreciate where I’ve come from. (This is because) of the support I get from the Chinese community in Canada,” Chan, who is fluent in English, French and Cantonese, said as he took a break from his intensive training schedule.

“I do (wish I could have represented both China and Canada when I compete). That would be the ideal situation… in a perfect world.”

It seems that in more ways than one, Chan has found himself trapped in the wrong era.

The accumulative scoring system that was introduced following the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics appears to have stifled creativity on the ice — with athletes required to perform several compulsory elements in each routine — but Chan is determined not to turn into a skating robot.

His graceful movement around the ice brings back memories of 1976 Olympic champion John Curry, who famously combined ballet and modern dance elements in his captivating performances.

“We have much more complexity in our programs than the skaters in the 80s but the skating in the 80s was much more epic and much more memorable. There was a lot more uniqueness between each skater whereas nowadays it’s almost become a production line,” said Chan, who plans to introduce a quadruple-Salchow to his free skate by next month.

“Everyone’s doing the same thing, just maybe in a different order. So I hope I can be somewhat of a throwback skater in the fact that I can bring excitement back. I can be like the black sheep of the herd, be different and be unique and be someone people will remember out of the 50 skaters at the world championships.”

For most sportsmen, the best way to stand out from a crowd is by earning a title or a gold medal. But having been there and done that, Chan, surprisingly, does not want to get caught up in a rat race where chasing after the big prizes and records becomes an all-consuming obsession.

“I feel a lot less pressure now that I’m world champion. I feel like I don’t have any expectations and I can really just skate for myself. I’ve got absolutely nothing to prove to anyone,” said Chan, who holds the records for the highest ever scores in both the short (93.02 points) and free (187.96) programs.

“I skate just to satisfy my own desire and not care about other people’s desire for me to do well. I barely have any interest any more in how well I do in competitions. I want to skate well but my main concern is to satisfy myself and make myself enjoy what I do on the ice and hopefully the audience can feel the same thing.

“If they feel they have understood the program and have been really been touched, then I feel much more accomplished than if I won a medal,” added the skater who is favorite to complete a hat-trick of Grand Prix wins this season in Quebec.

(Editing by Ed Osmond)

With world number one Novak Djokovic under pressure to defend over 13,000 ranking points following his stupendous 2011 season, Rafa Nadal still reeling from six successive defeats by the Serb and Roger Federer on the wrong side of 30, the time is right for Murray to strike and become the first British male to lift a major since Fred Perry in 1936.

“Next year is going to be very important for Murray,” Rusedski told Reuters in a telephone interview ahead of the ATP World Tour Finals, where Murray has been drawn in the same group as Djokovic.

“This year he’s had his best year at the grand slams, he got to the final in Australia (losing to Djokovic) and three semis in Paris, Wimbledon and the (U.S.) Open. That shows he’s getting consistent.

“Coming up 2012 will be a very important year for him because Federer is already 30 plus so he’s in extra time.

“Djokovic cannot repeat the year (he’s just had when he won 10 titles including three majors) and Rafa most likely will win the French Open but this year he’s struggled from his high standards.

“So if you look at the opening for Murray, he’s gotta win one in the next year or so if he’s going to win a major.”

Looking back at the records over the past 30 years, most multiple men’s grand slam winners had won their first major by the time they were blowing out 23 candles on their birthday cakes.

With Murray due to celebrate his quarter century next May, such statistics are unlikely to favour a player who is the only one among the top four without a grand slam title though Rusedski was more optimistic.

“The stat that is good for Murray is that he got into the top 10 before 20 years of age and there is only one player …who has never won a major getting into top 10 before the age of 20 and that was Marcelo Rios.

“The way he plays, he can beat 97 of the top 100 guys. But when it comes down to the final of a major and both guys are playing their best tennis, the one who is going to be a little bit more aggressive is going to come through.

“Murray has got the realisation of that after this year so he needs to put that practice into action.”

While Murray has usually picked Flushing Meadows as the venue where he is most likely to triumph, Rusedski believes he has more chances of succeeding at the Australian Open as he might be able to catch the opposition napping just weeks into the new season.

“Andy always plays great in the Australian Open and has been in the final twice,” said Rusedski.

“The guys aren’t necessary sharp coming into that event so for me that’s probably he’s best chance at winning a major.”

(Editing by Greg Stutchbury)