RIMINI - She is the new European champion in artistic gymnastics All-Around: the seventeen-year-old from Torre Annunziata conquered the gold medal in the general competition of the 35th European Championship in Rimini; a triumph for the gymnast from the Fiamme Oro Sports Group of the State Police, trained at Brixia by Enrico Casella and discovered by Camilla Ugolini at Ginnastica Civitavecchia.

 The gymnast spoke about her recent progress and her team. "Certainly, this year has gone better than last year because in Antalya I wasn't able to perform the way I wanted, but here I did, and I will try to do even better in the beam final. In the last 12 months, I have competed in many other competitions, so I have gained experience, and that helps."

 In the all-around, the quintessential Olympic event, Manila Esposito graduates as the European champion with 55.432 points (vault 13.566, uneven bars 14.066, balance beam 14.200, floor exercise 13.600).

 The 17-year-old from Torre Annunziata, province of Naples, and from the Fiamme Oro Sports Group, wins ahead of another Italian, the police officer from Genoa Alice D'Amato, who obtains a score of 54.831 (vault 13.966, uneven bars 14.633, balance beam 13.766, floor exercise 12.466).

 A memorable double in the individual all-around competition - it's an absolute first - and it could have ended with a triple if it weren't for the anachronistic rule of places by nation: in fact, Angela Andreoli finished third with 53.766 points, but she cannot celebrate because the rule allows a maximum of two athletes per country on the podium, so Andreoli has to leave the medal to the British Alice Kinsella, fourth with 53.599 (vault 14.000, uneven bars 14.000, balance beam 12.800, floor exercise 13.466).

 In the Italian perspective, there is also the pass for the team final on Sunday, secured by Alice D'Amato, Asia D'Amato, Manila Esposito, Elisa Iorio, and Angela Andreoli, provisionally in first place. It's a pity for the injury of Asia D'Amato, who gets hurt in the floor exercise.

 Alice's twin touches her right knee (the one already operated on) upon landing from the double layout, and now she will have to undergo the necessary checks.

 "I have now found another great family of great champions, the sports group of the State Police. This was also a goal I wanted to achieve, and I did it. In Civitavecchia with Camilla Ugolini, I've been there for thirteen years, in short, my whole career. Then, a year and a half ago, I moved to Brescia, where I found a very united group. We support each other, especially when there are difficulties, like today. We managed to complete a more than good competition, without getting too demoralized by Asia's incident," explained the Italian later.

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