London Olympic Test Event Has Gymnastics Federation Feeling Good

(ATR) The vice president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) tells Around the Ringsshe expects gymnastics to be one of the "top sports" at the London 2012 Olympics.

Slava Corn of Canada was speaking to ATR at the VISA International Gymnastics test event underway at the O2, where the sport will be similarly hosted during the Summer Games.

Corn said it's great so many tickets were sold for the test event alone.

"We’ve certainly learned and we expected that there will be a great audience and spectator support for gymnastics," she added.

"We want to be one of the top sports at the Games, and we know we will be."

The venue is no stranger to the sport after hosting the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in 2009.

Corn did, however, express regret the test event couldn't be scheduled in the spring as preferred by both FIG and its gymnasts.

"We wanted the test event to be in March or April because that is a better season for our athletes to be ready," she said.

"Unfortunately, the O2 was not available at the time we would’ve liked it, and we had no choice but to take the free days that were available for this facility.

"It is a commercial facility. They do have other things coming ... they gave us the block of time they could accommodate to their bookings. We accommodated, the athletes accommodated, they changed their training plans, they peaked for January if they were serious about qualifying for the teams, so everybody compromised a little."

Because of the venue’s other commitments, a 2-day gap separated last week's artistic and trampoline portions from this week's rhythmic routines, but Corn maintained that the rest of the event is being run to Games-time standards.

She also praised the help given by Olympic organizers.

"I know they [LOCOG] have learned a few things," she told ATR.

"I know during the takedown between the artistic and the trampoline,they budgeted a specific amount of time, but they did it in a faster time which gave them some relief.

Though the artistic and trampoline elements will be staged at the O2, rhythmic events were moved to Wembley Arena for Games-time due to cost-saving measures made by Britain’s coalition government in 2010.

Corn did lament that not all of the gymnastics would be together under one roof but said FIG would still be prepared.

"It’s too bad we couldn’t keep rhythmics in this venue – they have to go to Wembley, so that’s why we’ve modifiedthe floor so they get a feel for what it will be like at Wembley."

Commentingon LOCOG's view of the test event at its midway point, a spokesperson said: "After four days of artistic gymnastics and trampoline, the event is going well. Not only have we seen Great Britain qualify for the Games, the event has been vital for LOCOG in order to test our operations.

"In terms of the competition and testing of the field of play, timing, scoring and results this has gone well," LOCOG added.

Trampoline gymnast Henrik Stehlik from Germany had high praise for the iconic riverside venue.

"The facilities are amazing. The crowd, trampolines and the stadium atmosphere in particular are great, some of the best I have experienced," he told ATR.

"If I could make one small improvement, it would be to have longer podium training. An hour was not really long enough," he added before clarifying that this would only be possible in a perfect set-up.

The 20,000-seat arena will also be used for the finals of the basketball event as well as for wheelchair basketball during the Paralympic Games. Due to IOC advertising rules, the O2 will be known as North Greenwich Arena throughout the Games.

Written and reported in London by Christian Radnedge

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