Shane O'Brien
Stories and guides published by Shane O'Brien.
Dina and Arina Averina top the hoop and ball rankings in Baku, 2019
Revisiting the 2019 rhythmic gymnastics European Championships in Baku, where Dina and Arina Averina led the hoop and ball qualification rankings.
Italy’s gymnastics federation marks 150 years
In 2019 the Federazione Ginnastica d'Italia celebrated its 150th anniversary. A look at one of Europe's oldest gymnastics federations.
Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos and her 2019 European all-around title
Looking back at Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos winning the 2019 European all-around title in Szczecin, and what it meant for France.
Highlights of ACRO2019: triple crowns and an Israeli celebration
Our look back at the 2019 acrobatic gymnastics European Championships in Holon: four triple crowns, a superb venue and Israel's home success.
When the gymnastics calendar stopped: the 2020 cancellations
Looking back at spring 2020, when the pandemic forced the postponement and cancellation of European gymnastics events across every discipline.
Starting gymnastics as an adult: a practical guide
Starting gymnastics as an adult: which classes to look for, building strength and flexibility safely, realistic first skills and injury prevention.
How gymnastics scoring works: difficulty, execution and deductions
A clear guide to gymnastics scoring: what the D-score and E-score mean, how deductions work, how judging panels operate and how other disciplines differ.
Artur Dalaloyan leads men’s qualification in Szczecin, 2019
Revisiting men's qualification at the 2019 European Championships in Szczecin, where reigning world champion Artur Dalaloyan finished on top.
Simone Biles wins a record fourth world all-around title, Doha 2018
Doha 2018 revisited: Simone Biles wins a record fourth world all-around title despite mistakes, with a close race for silver and bronze.
Trampoline, tumbling and double mini-trampoline explained
A guide to the three disciplines of trampoline gymnastics: how routines work, how they are scored and what to look for as a spectator.
Nikita Nagornyy and Aliya Mustafina win in Birmingham, 2019
Revisiting the 2019 Birmingham all-around World Cup, where Russia's Nikita Nagornyy and Aliya Mustafina both took victory.
The first Junior World Championships in rhythmic gymnastics, 2019
Looking back at the first-ever Junior World Championships in rhythmic gymnastics in 2019, where Russian juniors set the standard.
Rhythmic gymnastics apparatus explained: rope, hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon
The five rhythmic gymnastics apparatus explained: sizes, what each one tests, typical elements, common faults and what to watch in competition.
Munich and the 2022 multi-sport European Championships
Munich was chosen to host the 2022 multi-sport European Championships, which included artistic gymnastics. Why the model mattered for the sport.
Szczecin’s Netto Arena gets ready for the 2019 Europeans
How Szczecin's Netto Arena prepared to host Europe's best artistic gymnasts in the months before the 2019 European Championships.
Tickets for the 2020 Trampoline Europeans and what happened next
Tickets for the 2020 European Trampoline Championships in Gothenburg went on sale in December 2019. A look at the plans and how the pandemic changed them.
Turkey stars at the Mersin World Challenge Cup
Turkish gymnasts win five of ten titles and twelve medals at home in the Mersin World Challenge Cup, with gold for Colak, Arican and Samiloglu.
Derwael best on bars as Biles leads in Doha
Women's qualification at the 2018 World Championships in Doha from a European angle: Nina Derwael's 15.033 on bars, Jonna Adlerteg and Germany's team final place.
The first artistic qualifiers for the 2019 European Games
How the 2018 Europeans in Glasgow decided the first team places for the 2019 European Games in Minsk, and which nations qualified.
Busse and Bachynska top the Youth Olympic qualifier in Baku
The 2018 European artistic qualifier for the Buenos Aires Youth Olympics: Anastasia Bachynska and Iurii Busse win in Baku, 17 girls' and 16 boys' places decided.
18 nations secure Youth Olympic places in rhythmic gymnastics
Looking back at the 2018 European qualifier for the Buenos Aires Youth Olympic Games: 56 gymnasts, 33 countries and 18 quota places decided in Moscow.
European gymnast of the year 2017: the nominees
The 2017 European gymnast of the year vote: five categories, nominations from the member federations and stand-out seasons from Daniel Bali to Pablo Brägger.
Split 2017: new leadership for European gymnastics
The 2017 UEG Congress in Split: Farid Gayibov elected president with 28 votes to 20, succeeding Georges Guelzec, and a new presidential board.
Viktoria Mazur retires after eleven years with Ukraine’s team
Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast Viktoria Mazur retired after the 2017 World Championships in Pesaro, eleven years after joining the national team.
The Averina twins dominate the 2017 World Games in Wrocław
Rhythmic gymnastics at the 2017 World Games in Wrocław: three titles for Arina Averina, a near-perfect clubs routine from Dina, and medals for Ashram and Halkina.
Kapitonova and Dalaloyan win the 2017 Russian all-around titles
The 2017 Russian Championships in Kazan: Natalia Kapitonova and Artur Dalaloyan win the all-around, Moscow takes both team titles.
Dina Averina turns heads at the 2017 Moscow Grand Prix
The first major rhythmic meet after Rio: the 2017 Moscow Grand Prix, new rules and two 19.600 scores for Dina Averina and Aleksandra Soldatova.
The Joaquín Blume memorial: tradition and remembrance in Barcelona
The 38th Joaquín Blume memorial tournament in Barcelona in 2016, and the story of the Spanish gymnast it honours.
Israel exceeds expectations at its first European Championships
How Holon hosted Israel's first European Championships in June 2016: sold-out days, a home group gold and a historic final for Finland.
Elena Eremina wins the 2016 junior European all-around title
The junior women's all-around final at the 2016 Europeans in Bern: Elena Eremina wins with the best floor routine, Lynn Genhart takes silver for Switzerland.
Glasgow 2018: how the multi-sport European Championships came together
How Glasgow, European Championships Management and the UEG agreed to stage the 2018 artistic Europeans inside the first multi-sport European Championships.
Daniela Silivas: a Romanian legend revisited
The career of Romanian gymnast Daniela Silivas: world beam title in 1985, four European titles in Moscow in 1987, world team gold and her perfect 10s in Seoul.
Serbian gymnastics: a federation with a century of history
The history of gymnastics in Serbia: a federation founded in 1914, the Sokol tradition and medallists such as Tereza Kočiš, Mirjana Bilić and Pavel Opavski.
Moscow Grand Prix 2016 opens the rhythmic season
The 2016 Moscow Grand Prix and Alina Cup: Aleksandra Soldatova wins the all-around, Margarita Mamun shines on ball, and the Averina twins announce themselves.
Russia dominates the 2015 rhythmic Worlds, Italy prevents a sweep
The 2015 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart: Yana Kudryavtseva's third all-around title, Russian individual dominance and an Italian group gold.
Nanjing 2014: gold for Irina Annenkova in rhythmic gymnastics
The rhythmic gymnastics competition at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games: Irina Annenkova wins, Maryia Trubach and Laura Zeng complete the podium.
Nanjing 2014: Tutkhalyan and Nagornyy lead the Youth Olympic artistic events
The artistic gymnastics events at the 2014 Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing: Russia's Seda Tutkhalyan and Nikita Nagornyy, and Great Britain's Giarnni Regini-Moran.
Rhythmic Europeans Baku 2014: entries and format
The 30th rhythmic Europeans in Baku, June 2014: 33 federations, 102 juniors, 21 senior groups and the even-year format for senior individuals.
Final day of the 2013 rhythmic Europeans in Vienna
A look back at the last day of the 29th rhythmic Europeans in Vienna in 2013: the junior group final and the senior apparatus finals.
Philipp Boy ends his career
German gymnast Philipp Boy retired in December 2012: two world all-around silver medals, the 2011 European all-around title in Berlin and a career cut short by injury.