In August 2018 the women's European Championships moved into a new setting. Glasgow and Berlin co-hosted the first multi-sport European Championships, combining existing continental championships in several sports under one brand and one broadcast package. Artistic gymnastics was part of the Glasgow programme.
A different calendar slot
Traditionally the artistic European Championships took place in spring. Moving to August put them much closer to the World Championships in Doha that autumn, which changed preparation plans. Some teams used Glasgow as a final check before the Worlds; others saw it as a major target in its own right because of the broadcast exposure.
Derwael on bars
Belgium's Nina Derwael won the uneven bars title, a significant moment for a federation that had never been a regular presence on European podiums in women's artistic gymnastics. Derwael's bar work was built on rare release elements and fluid connections, and it made her one of the most recognisable specialists of the Tokyo cycle.
Team year format
- Senior team final and apparatus finals. - Junior team, all-around and apparatus finals. - No senior all-around title in this edition.
Why the multi-sport model mattered
Combining championships gives smaller sports access to audiences they rarely reach. For gymnastics, it meant prime-time slots on European broadcasters and a festival atmosphere around the venue. The model returned in Munich in 2022.
Related
Read about the men's competition in Glasgow, and our story on Munich's 2022 multi-sport championships.
