The first medal decision of the European Championships falls in artistic gymnastics. In the all-around the German women will probably not be able to win a medal, but the quintet took the lead in the team competition.
Parallel to the rowers, the gymnasts opened the European Championships in Munich with their all-around. The quintet of the German Gymnastics Federation (DTB) took the lead in the team competition after the first of four qualifying rounds and should almost certainly have a place in the team final on Saturday (2:00 p.m.).
With 156.750 points, the hosts in the Munich Olympic Hall were initially ahead of the Netherlands (155.464) and Austria (146.863).
Malewski convinces on the balance beam, Voss falls
Kim Bui, Pauline Schäfer-Betz, Elisabetz Seitz, Sarah Voss and Emma Melewski started for the German team. The only 18-year-old Malewski started on the first device, the uneven bars. After a good exercise with only small wobbles, Malewski was happy about 13,500 points and was surprisingly the best on the apparatus. Although the strong starters from Great Britain, France and Italy are still at the start in the afternoon, Malewski has the best chance of reaching the apparatus finals on Sunday.
Ex-world champion Schäfer causes moments of shock
The 2017 world champion on this device, Pauline Schäfer, showed a shaky exercise with two almost falls, but was still visibly relieved in the end with 13.166 points and took second place behind Malewski in front of Kim Bui from Stuttgart (12.833).
Bui best Germans on the ground
Sarah Voss fell on the exit and initially had to be treated. But the 22-year-old was able to continue. Slightly limping, she entered the next device, the floor. With a solid performance, she regained her self-confidence. And her teammates were also convincing: Malewski again presented a good and, above all, very expressive exercise (12.466 points). Similar to Schäfer-Betz, who was second best German on floor behind Kim Bui (12.866). However, it will probably not be enough on the ground to take part in the final battle. The competition, led by Naomi Visser from the Netherlands, was too strong for that.
Voss with top value at the vault
On the third apparatus of the Germans, the vault, record champion Elisabeth Seitz also intervened and the German gymnasts continued their good competition to date. Sarah Voss, who is known as a super jumper, led the way with a top value (14.433 points).
Bui and Seitz have a good chance of a final battle on uneven bars
On the uneven bars Kim Bui and Elisabeth Seitz then showed their whole routine and convinced with strong performances. The women from Stuttgart tied for second and third place behind Naomi Visser from the Netherlands.