Derwael will European title, not defend, also Klinckaert gives the bundle with heavy injury

More sport Nina Derwael shall not take part in the European championship toestelturnen in the Polish Szczecin (10 to 14 april). The world champion and two-time European champion on the bridge with uneven shelves does not belong to the Belgian selection, as revealed today at a press conference in the House of Sport in Gent. The 19-year-old Derwael choose to work on a more difficult exercise.

a week and a Half ago earned the Sportswoman of the Year gold to the bridge and silver in the bar during the world cup race in the Qatari capital Doha. “Time to be on the world cup to focus on,” said the Truiense afterwards all on Instagram. The world CHAMPIONSHIPS in Stuttgart (4-13 October) is her main goal for this year. Belgium is there as a team to qualify for the Olympic Games of 2020 in Tokyo.

“It was a very difficult decision in order to be fit for the european CHAMPIONSHIPS, because it was possible for me to achieve something,” said Derwael. “But I want to now work on a new exercise with a higher difficulty, with the eye at the world cup. There are also other gymnastes who do this, so will also Mustafina not come into action at the european CHAMPIONSHIPS. In the competitions after the european CHAMPIONSHIPS I want the new elements integrate so that I have them stable can run at the world cup. It should be possible to get my D-score (difficulty) with at least two tenths of increase.”

“In Doha I performed the same exercise as in the previous world cup, but on the next world CHAMPIONSHIP, I want something new. My victory in Qatar gave me a lot of confidence, after a less than obvious preparation by all kinds of obligations.”

“On the bar, I'm also busy with new connections, and it is also my intention to work well on the ground and jump, my weak points. Soon I'll be going for a week holiday to the sun, because not only physically, but also mentally, I felt sometimes tired.”

Derwaels coach Marjorie Heuls is completely behind the decision of her pupil to the EK. “They had given it careful thought, and actually we were on one line”, said the Frenchwoman. “We will still six months to have the new elements stable to run. You should not forget that the competition does not sit still, and also works hard for Nina to defeat. In Doha, she showed that she was still a lot of fun in competitive going, what makes me happy voted. Not that I have them doubted. But every day, high-level training is not easy.” Derwael is there to say no or she will participate in the European Games in Minsk (21-30/06).