World Games 2009 - Test Event - Site da FIG

Retirado hoje do site da FIG:

Acrobatic Gymnastics is showing off its full range of disciplines this weekend. On Sunday, we’ll see Men’s Pairs and Women’s Groups. Due to an injury of Ekaterina Aleshina (RUS), the Russian Group was forced to withdraw from the competition, which makes the Ukrainians the only Group in the event. Among the favourites in the Men’s Pairs event count Joao Maia and Tiago Figueiredo from Portugal, who will be challenged by the Russian and Ukrainian Pairs. Best result of the season 2008 for Artem Yatsentyy and Ilya Kuznetsov (RUS) was a 3rd rank at the World Cup in Publier - Amphion (FRA) in May. 

Though still very young, Maia (21) and Figueiredo (17) have earned a good deal of success over the course of their sporting careers. They won a Silver at the World Cup Final 2007 in Puurs (BEL) which makes them especially proud since all the big names where there. In 2006, this Portuguese ACRO Pair even won the Flanders International Acro Cup also in Puurs. More recently at the 21st World Championships in Glasgow (GBR) Maia and Figueiredo ranked 5th, having left their strong Chinese rivals in the dust, with only the Russian and Ukrainian Pairs ahead of them.

These two young acrobats from Porto have been practicing together since 2005 and they’ve consistently improved their performance ever since. As the only acrobats in Portugal competing at the Senior A level, it’s a challenge for them to practice with juniors or seniors of a lower level. There is an upside, though: as the only Portuguese ACRO Pair, Maia and Figueiredo are already qualified for the World Games 2009, so we’re sure to see them again in Kaohsiung next year.