It’s starrrrtttttting.

SUBDIVISION 1

The first subdivision of men’s competition is a strong one, featuring Russia, France, and Romania.

Russia will qualify to the team final comfortably, so we won’t know a ton about what these scores mean until tomorrow when we get the results for all the other top teams and can do some comparing.

Coming off its bronze medal performance at Europeans, France is hoping to sneak into the team final here and will give us a solid baseline standard that other nations will try to beat in the later groups.

On events, vault is the big one in this subdivision because in addition to the Russians (hoping to put two people in the final), Loris Frasca and Marian Dragulescu are also among the compelling contenders for that final.

Russia begins on vault, with Romania on PBars, and France on HB.

Kuksenkov is in gloves. Bold look to start. But Muntean is in nicer gloves. FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT.

Russia’s vault order will be Lankin, Nagornyy, Belyavskiy, then Dalaloyan. Belyavskiy is the only one not trying for the vault final.

ROTATION 1

That touch warmup was like 1.4 seconds long, it felt.

Lankin – VT 1 – Kas 1.5, solid, with a medium-sized hop forward, some minor leg crossing. 14.366

Lankin – VT 2 – handspring 2.5 – quite deep in landing, but got it around, large lunge off to the side and out of the area. 14.300 second vault score. 14.333 average.

Gobaux goes 13.433 to lead off HB for France.

Nagornyy – VT 1 – really nice Dragulescu, completed early enough to be not scary, medium hop back. Good. 14.733.

We’re taking a brief look at Abdurakhimov on rings from Uzbekistan – straddle planche and straddle sit.

Nagornyy – VT 2 – Kas 2/1, also quite good, small hop. That will put him well ahead of Lankin. Average 14.683

Romania starts with 12.900 on PB for Szabo.

Belvayskiy – VT – Kas 1.5, just a very small hop forward, leg crossing throughout. 14.333

Dalaloyan – VT 1 – TTY, pretty strong as well, medium-sized lunge forward and off to the side. 14.666

Muntean finishing on PBars with a double pike, hop back.

Dalaloyan – VT 2 – handspring double front pike, huge amplitude, lunge forward. That will be good enough to knock Lankin out of the vault final. Lankin was the bronze medalist at Euros. 14.866. For a 14.766 average.

Good opening for Russia. No red flags in that vault rotation.

After 1:
Russia 43.675
Romania 40.833
France 40.066
Uzbekistan 37.299

Romania will enjoy getting to see its name ahead of France. For the moment. Now Romania has to go to HB. If you’re wondering how Romania is on HB, think about the women on UB.

France will definitely take breaking 40 on HB. Not a huge-scoring event for them. Or anyone.

We saw the end of Borello’s floor routine for France. He has a nice face. (Can you tell I’m tired?)

Rotation 2

Nagornyy – PB – front toss up, 1/2 turn, good vertical – peack to one and healy down – peach 1/2 with a little arch – Makuts, solid – Diam and then a 1.5, good control – dismount shortish with a hop forward. Not bad. We’ll see stronger in this rotation. 14.966. Well…we MIGHT see stronger in this rotation.

Secure 2.5 to front full for Frasca on floor. Finishes 3/1 with just a small shuffle.

Belyavskiy – PB – uprise full, a little ragged but good for that skill – Tippelt and Bhavsar, quite nice – healy, 1/2 turn to stutz to one rail, pretty short of vertical there – stutz – double front 1/2 out, stuck. Excellent dismount. A couple borderline verticals in there. 15.033. Just ahead of Nagornyy. But Dalaloyan is the European champion and capable of beating both.

Leon Prado has a fall on PH.

Dalaloyan – PB – uprise full to uprise stutz 1/2, hit – Tippelt and Bhavsar, strong – gigantic front straddle – very similar routine to Belyavskiy – stutz, solid vertical – stuck dismount from him as well. 15.041. JUST ahead of Belyavskiy.

Those were three excellent hits. They could basically just stop now.

Degouy – FX – double fron pike with a lunge – second pass a little more under control – 3/1 around but a little hunched, slide back – very secure double arabian – 2/1 couldn’t stick with small hop to the side – 2.5 dismount, deepish with a hop to the side.

Lankin – PB – uprise full as well, then tries the uprise stutz and really struggles to vertical – just some more leg breaks than the others, an arch in hs here and there – peach, OK – Tipelt is fine – bhavsar – another arch on 1/2 turn working out – double front dismount, stuck. Perfectly acceptable routine, but weaker than the other three.

14.733 for Lankin. Got closer than I thought he would. Not enough separation to my eye.

Muntean finishes on HB – endo 1/2 – stalder – DLO double twist was good, small hop.

13.233 for Muntean on HB. It’s not high, but they’ll totally take it.

“DUMP THE ROTATION. DUMP THE ROTATION.”

France has now moved ahead of Romania as expected.

ROTATION 3

Now it gets interesting. Russia and high bar.

Belyavskiy – HB – hit layout tkatchev and tkatchev to mixed, solid – Tak 1/1 is quite late – Yam – german giants – a little awkward coming out but works through it without a real problem – DLO 1/1, leans to hang onto the stick. Fine. A hit, so it’s fine.

13.933. He’ll def take it. 43.299 through three

A nice Diam from Abdusamatov on PBars, and then he immediately falls on a double pike.

Nagornyy – HB – Yam – layout tkatchev, good – layout tkatchev to mixed, him – Tak 1/1, not bad finish -Tak 1/2, a litlte short – tkatchev – tkatchev to mixed – stalder – DLO double full, small hop. Another hit.

Frasca comes off on PH. This is coming off a 10 from Gobaux. OOF. Now a 10.100 for Frasca, so Gobaux is going to count.

Kuksenkov – HB – layout tkatchev – german giants – a little foot brush on the bar working out – tkatchev to mixed good – tak 1/2, hit – tak 1/1, late – to Markelov – DLO 1/1, step back. It’s Russia on high bar and not as impressive as the other pieces, but 3 hits. 13.300.

Dalaloyan – HB – layout pikey kovacs – Kovacs, good – layout tkatchev – layout tkatchev to mixed – tak 1/2 – layout Markelov – stalder – DLO 1/1, stuck with a small hutch over. Quite solid.

Tommasone gets a much-needed 14 on PH for France.

Dragulescu is finishing up on floor now – sticks a 3/1.

13.900 for Dragulescu on floor. In 2nd for the moment behind the 14.200 from Frasca.

14.166 for Dalaloyan, the highest for Russia, deserved.

After 3
Russia – 130.890
Romania – 119.765
France – 118.539
Uzbekistan – 114.997

Russia only leads by 11 points at the halfway point.

Russia hit vault and PBars well and got through HB without a fall, so this basically couldn’t have gone better for them through three pieces.

ROTATION 4

Belyavskiy – FX – hands down on double front 1/2 out. OOPS – DLO, fine, hop back – 1.5 to front 2/1, legs crossed, solid landing – double arabian 1/2 out, bounce back, just stays in – Japanese handstand, struggles up with a hesitation – 2.5 to half, small hop – 3/1, small hop. 12.500. (55.799 overall)

This could be VERY significant in the race for not getting two-perred out of the AA.

DeGouy finishes rings – gigantic struggle up to handstand after his pikes and tucks – DLO dismount, hop forward.

Nagornyy – FX – triple back, solid, hop back, nice height – front 2/1 to double front, also hit, a little hoppy – double double tucked, nailed, stuck – 2.5 to front 1/1 to half, LOVE how high that 1/2 gets – open full-in, stuck – 3/1, stuck. He’s having an excellent day. 14.800. Dayum. (58.465 overall)

Frasca – SR – straddle plance is good – pikes and tucks up to another straddle planche – more secure in these hs – some arching to hold the last one – double double tuck, bound forward.

I’,m concerned that we have no scores in for Romania on PH.

Dalaloyan – FX – front full to front 2.5 – front layout to double front pike, STUCK – double double tuck, small hop – small hop out of next pass, nothing large so far –  – 1.5 to 1.5 side pass, stuck – 3/1, small slide back. Good. 14.833. (58.706 overall)

I think Nagornyy should have been higher than Dalaloyan.

OUCH. Kotrong got 8.233 for Romania on horse.

Lankin – FX – triple back, good, hop back, larger than Nagornyy’s – steps OOB on his third pass, which will seal his sitting lower than the previous two. double double tucked, stuck but hunched – 3/1 with a hop back. 13.900.

Another long wait to get the 10.800 on horse for Muntean. And that will count.

Bataga was going stronger than the first two, but has two major straddles in his routine and ultimately comes off.

France is at 158.305 after four events. Well off the pace from Europeans.

Szabo finishes on PH for Romania – annnnnd immediately falls. And then falls again. Sweet lord Romania. Third fall. This is tough to watch – Just tries to get off, drops his hips on that dismount but he’s like I’M DONE.

It’s a 6.633 for Szabo. Saddest.

Romania led France going into that rotation. Now France leads Romania by 8.

ROTATION 5

Nagornyy – PH – it’s far too middle of the night for me to pretend I can quick hit pommel horse, so we’ll just talk about how this is going well. Nice rhythm, no major leg breaks, very well-fitting pants. 14.000 for Nagornyy. Certainly not letting Belvayskiy back in.

Degouy really excited about hitting his Kas 1.5 with a hop.

Toshpulatov finishes floor with a 2.5 with a crossover step.

Kuksenkov – PH – leg break early on a circle but gets it back – nice flare work – a little sluggish in a Russian travel – ooooof falls on his dismount, did not get it up and will have to redo. 12.966

Frasca with a hand down on his Dragulescu. Shame.

Belvaskiy kind of looks like one of those owls that wears a graduation cap…

Belyavskiy – PH – has to hand adjust on his scissors up to handstand, rest hand on leather, that won’t help – great rhythm, does have another leg break in there – hits the rest. A good routine, still, but not a great routine by any means. 14.000.

Dalaloyan – PH – he constantly looks like he’s going to fall at any moment in this routine…and he made it through nearly all of it before falling. Love his rhythm and flares, though. Russia is starting to throw in the errors after a great start.

Just 11.766 for Dalaloyan. OUCHIE. He still has more than half a point on Belyavskiy for the AA. Dalaloyan is the stronger rings worker.

It’s really just the Russian AA places left to play for here as we won’t yet know how these scores will hold up for EF. And I can’t imagine France’s total is going to be good enough for Tf.

ROTATION 6

Nagornyy – SR – roll up to maltese – invert handstand right up to another maltese – cross, solid – pikes and tucks up to a cross, good – straddle planche, comfortable, maybe a little short – double double tuck, stuck. 14.633.

Nikita had a GREAT day.

Great stick on double front for Frasca finishing PB.

Lankin – SR – planche, good – roll to maltese – inverted handstand up to maltese, all very secure – pikes and tucks up to cross, maybe a little high, or his deltoids just make it look high – only a small swing generated in hs – double double tuck with pace forward. 14.300.

Nagornyy 87.098 in the AA will lead the day after the first subdivision.

Dragulescu – VT 1 – double front, step to the side and out of the area. Not doing his vault today.

Dalaloyan – SR – roll forward to maltese – up to another maltese – lower to cross – pikes and tucks to a cross – struggles a bit to hold a straddle planche, has to bring rings together – finishes DLO 1/1, a little deep with a hop. Not his strongest rings showing. Still gets 14.100. That’s high enough that he won’t let Belyavskiy in.

No second vault for Marian. Andreea’s like, “…………………….”

Belyavskiy – SR – maltese, a little higher than the others – rise up to straddle planche – roll down to cross – front tuck and pikes up to cross – some shorter hold positions – DLO 1/1, hop back.

Belyavskiy got a big score on PB, so he should still make that final, but that will be his only final.

13.533.

Looked away to see Belyavskiy’s score, and it looks like Gobaux just fell on PBars for France.

Just 83.332 for Belyavskiy, so he will not make the AA final unless he gets Galievaed.

258.402 for Russia. For comparison, Russia won Euros with 257.260.

Borello finishes on Pbars for France and just does save a pirouette after missing an arm. Stays on. Finishes well, step on dismount.

France ends with 241.203. To win bronze at Euros, France scored 246.928.

That does it for subdivision 1. It’s our only streaming subdivision of the day, but I’m sure I’ll have thoughts as we see the news and scores come in for the subsequent groups.