EUROGYM 2012: the kick-off is imminent…

July 4, 2012

While the EUROGYM will begin in a few days in Coimbra in Portugal, we met Alberto and Jorges, heads of the Organising Committee, to discuss the last preparations for this important European gymnastics Festival.

O. Do Rosario : Dear friends, could you introduce yourselves, talk about your backgrounds and explain us your function in the frame of the EUROGYM 2012?

Jorge Abrantes, 45 years old, PE teacher, master in Sport science with children and young people, director of the Sports Department of the city of Coimbra, Gymnastics for all coach. I’m vice president of the Local Organizing Committee for the technical program.

Alberto Claudino Nunes, 55 years old, PE teacher, master in sport management, former vice-president of the Portuguese Gymnastics Federation. I’m vice-president of the Technical Committee of Gymnastics for All of the UEG and president of the Local Organizing Committee of the 8th EUROGYM.

O. DR : Could you speak to us about this event which will start in a few days and give us some figures with regard to:

- The participation (number of NF, number of gymnasts, age of the gymnasts)

J. A and A. CN : The 8th EUROGYM will have nearly 4.000 participants, from 12 to 18 years old or more. There are 161 groups coming from 21 European countries. We will also have two invited groups from Portuguese speaking countries, Brasil and Cabo Verde. To help and support the organization we count with 400 volunteers.

- Infrastructures and equipment

J. A and A. CN : The event will take place almost all over the city of Coimbra. The group presentations will be in Parque Verde (at the riverside), in Igreja Santa Cruz (historic center), Praça da República (University neighborhood) and at Dolce Vita Shopping Center. The Workshops will take place in different sports facilities: Estádio Universitário, Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, Parque Verde, Praça da República, River sports Center, Swimming Pool center and several sport halls in the Solum neighborhood.

The Eurogym will use Gym equipment from the local Club “Académica”, from the municipality and also from the Portuguese Gymnastics federation. All these institutions made great efforts buying some gymnastics equipment to cover the EUROGYM needs. In a period of economic crisis, like we are leaving in Portugal, it was not easy to buy more equipment but, all together in cooperation, we solved the problem.

- The number of learning sessions, workshops and performances

J. A and A. CN : We’ll have impressive numbers with 6 hours of Forum with 296 registrations, 1029 hours of physical activities divided into 43 different Workshops with the support of 83 Instructors and 4 attractive stages with a total of 363 city performances.

- The planned evening programmes

J. A and A. CN : On Sunday evening a parade will take place through the streets of Coimbra with all the participants marching to the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra, from three different starting points. At the stadium there will be the official opening ceremony and after that the participants are invited to stay for a DJ party.

On Monday and Tuesday, after dinner, there will be special EUROGYM parties with Karaoke, games, DJs, etc. Those parties will be on a lawn near the restaurant and the riverside.

Wednesday is the day of the great EUROGYM Gala which will take place at the Estádio Cidade de Coimbra. Twenty groups will show to the expected 8.000 spectators the best European young group gymnastics!

On Thursday, the closing ceremony will take place at the stadium as well. During the ceremony the participants will show what they have learned during the week at the workshops. The organizers of the 9th EUROGYM in Helsingborg, Sweden, will also participate in the closing ceremony.

After the gala and the closing ceremony, a DJ party will take place in the stadium.

O. DR : Could you talk about the disciplines which are going to be proposed during this week? Any novelties?

J. A and A. CN : We prepared some surprises for the participants.

Here are some of them: All accreditation cards have a number and if you find a participant with your same number, in other words if you find “your twin”, both will win a prize!

There will be fireworks at the Stadium Cidade de Coimbra after the closing ceremony; we have a daily party; this EUROGYM editions has its own motto “Let’s share!”; Once again we’ll have a flashmob to see everyone share it.

O. DR : Why did you choose to set up this event in the city of Coimbra?

J. A and A. CN : We didn’t choose, we applied for it and the UEG has chosen Coimbra.

We think that Coimbra has all characteristics and conditions to be an excellent “EUROGYM City”.

Coimbra has the right size, has good facilities, nice parks and gardens and has one of the oldest Universities in Europe that makes Coimbra a city of youth!

O. DR : Finally, what do you expect from this event?

J. A and A. CN : We expect that the EUROGYM will be an unforgettable event for all participants! The entire LOC is working for that!

We are doing our best to make the 8th EUROGYM a great success from all points of view: sportive, educative and social.

If the EUROGYM runs well (and we are convinced it will) the participants will become better gymnasts and, above all, better citizens!

Alberto Claudino Nunes and Jorge Abrantes

Follow the EUROGYM 2012 on the UEG website - click here -

and/or on the event website - click here -