Home-girl Meghana seals podium finish

​Hyderabad: Meghana Reddy Gandlapally Reddy of Telangana stood third overall in senior category with Sri Lanka notching the top spot while Slovania walked away with all medals in the junior category at the maiden CtrlS Indian Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup 2019, a first of its kind in 28 years of Rhythmic Gymnastics in India, which concluded at the Gachibowli Stadium here on Sunday. 

Indian Senior team won four medals—Meghana bagged three medals and Aditi from Maharashtra won one medal. The finals of the junior and senior category on the concluding day went live on YouTube which was watched across 61 countries.

Post-event, the program director SpielaDragas offered a 45-minute special orientation on the judging and coaching tips to help the athletes understand the finer details and the routines of the athletes.

The event organised by Gundlapally Krida Foundation was a major hit with the participants. The event saw the participation of 70 gymnasts from six countries   Slovenia, Italy, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand and India. A ten-member panel of Judges led by Olympic Judge SpelaDragas from Italy judged the competitions, a press release said. 

The Government extended Rs 2 million for holding an international-level tournament in Hyderabad and Telangana. They also promised to support it next year Indian Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup will be held annually and next year a minimum of 25 countries and a maximum of 60 countries are expected to participate. Malaysia came with the biggest contingent of 10 players among visiting nations. In India, Delhi had 17 contestants. 

India’s only rhythmic gymnast, Meghana and Anna Marie Ondaatje from Sri Lanka who represented CWG in 2019 were the key competitors besides others.  The 20-year-old from Telangana had her first brush with rhythmic gymnastics at the age of 11 and her perseverance saw her become the only rhythmic gymnast to represent India at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. Rhythmic Gymnastics is a women-only Olympic Sport. The Indian Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup saw athletes performing using five apparatus --- ball, clubs, hoop, rope and ribbon. 

The athletes were judged base on parameters such as Artistry, Technical faults, Body difficulty and Apparatus difficulty. The participant who earns more points emerged victorious. Their skill and performance was determined by the panel of judges for leaps, balances, pirouettes (pivots), apparatus handling and execution.

Rhythmic Gymnastics combines elements of dance, gymnastics and apparatus manipulation. The athletes should have balance, strength, flexibility, agility, coordination and endurance, said GR Reddy of Gundlapally Krida Foundation, the conceivers of the first Indian Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup.  Rhythmic Gymnastics will be the next future of India, he said

“The rhythmic gymnastics sport is unique and is picking up slowly in India. India’s international performance in the sport off late has been commendable and has improved significantly. India is emerging power house for the sport. Thousands of girls are training across India. The junior teams are picking up well with so much of potential we can gain entry into 2028 Olympics,” opined GR Reddy. 

The competitions were held in four different age groups: Sub-Juniors (Under 10 years); Sub-Juniors (Under 12 years); Juniors (12 to 15 years) and Seniors (15 years and above). Prizes were given to winners in four categories which include medals and also Pastorelli equipment.