The women's European Championships in Bern followed the men's competition in early June 2016. For the host federation it was an important moment: Giulia Steingruber, European all-around champion the year before, was the face of Swiss gymnastics heading into Rio.
Selection pressure everywhere
Olympic teams in women's gymnastics were five gymnasts in Rio, and those places were fiercely contested in the big European federations. Bern therefore doubled as a selection trial for several national teams. A strong beam score in the team competition could keep a gymnast on the plane; a fall could cost her the spot. That pressure is visible in the footage, especially in the team final.
Team and junior competitions
- Seniors competed for the team title and apparatus medals. - Juniors competed for team, all-around and apparatus titles. - No senior all-around title was awarded in the team year.
The juniors of 2016
Junior gymnasts in Bern were the first wave of the Tokyo cycle. Several turned senior in 2017 or 2018 and became the backbone of their national teams. If you are researching a gymnast who reached the Tokyo Olympics, there is a good chance her first European final was here.
Rewatch notes
- Uneven bars was a strength for several European teams at the time, with ambitious release combinations. - Beam showed how the code rewarded connection value. - Floor routines still carried more distinct choreography than in later years, when difficulty demands squeezed artistry.
Related
Compare with the 2018 women's European Championships in Glasgow, the next team year, held inside a multi-sport event.
