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Al-Ahram Weekly 13 - 19 July 2000 Issue No. 490 
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Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Al-Ahram Weekly 13 - 19 July 2000 Issue No. 490
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| Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875 |
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Egypt Focus International Economy Opinion Interview Culture Features Travel Living Sports Profile People Time Out Chronicles Cartoons Letters Named the best
By Eman MoemenA fifth place finish was as high as Egypt could go in the five-day, 12-nation rhythmic gymnastics international championship in Turkey. But Sherine Karam lifted the country to a much higher and loftier plateau, leapfrogging to the top of her sport.
Karam will be going to the Sydney Olympics after being given the green light and, more important, bestowed the title of the world's best female rhythmic gymnast by the International Federation of Gymnastics (IFG). Karam was awarded a merit of honour by the IFG as the best on the globe, the first gymnast from this part of the world to receive such an honour.
The title conferred on Karam nudges the more famous Yasmine Youssef out of the spotlight. Youssef, Egypt and Africa's top gymnast, will miss out on the Olympics after failing to qualify following an injury sustained before the World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championship in Japan in September 1999.
In the final-apparatus ribbon in the Turkish city of Izmir, Youssef finished in fourth place while Maha El-Kashlan took fifth in the hoops. In the all-around, the most prestigious gymnastics event, Youssef failed to impress, ending up in ninth place while El-Kashlan claimed tenth spot. Nadine Hosni and Eman Hossameddin left Izmir the way they came: empty-handed.
"The calibre of the championship was high but Turkish judges were unfair," said Magda Ismail, head of the Egyptian Gymnastics Federation Technical Committee. "The facilities were below standard," Ismail said, adding they were not nearly as good as in previous years.
Federation manager Samir El-Dibawi said Izmir was a step on the road to preparing for the African championship in November in Tunisia. "It's a good opportunity for Egyptian gymnasts to get in contact with experienced players," El-Dibawi said.
The Turkish experience should also serve to hone the players before the Olympics start in September. Egypt's athletes will warm-up for the summer spectacle with the Olympic Solidarity Tournament in Syria from 27 June to 7 July. The junior national team will also be training in Syria from 10 to 25 August.
