The Riga International was one of the first major international competitions in 1973. Olympic gold medalists Nikolai Andrianov, Klaus Köste, and Elvira Saadi competed, but it wasn’t a well-attended event:
The attendance was very light for both men’s and women’s events with some increase during the finals.
Gymnast, June/July 1973
Riga was a place where gymnasts often debuted new skills. In 1972, Tsukahara did his full-twisting double back off high bar, and Gehrke became one of the first women to do a Tsukahara on vault. In 1973, Andrianov did one of the first double pikes on floor.
Historical context: At the 1962 World Championships, Hristov of Bulgaria attempted one of the first double backs at a major international competition. (He face-planted it.) Eleven years later, the world finally saw one of the first double pikes.
Quick Links: Men’s Results | Women’s Results | Competition Commentary: Men’s All-Around | Event Finals | Latvian Overview | A Profile of Beate Gehrke
The Results
Source: Sovetsky Sport
Men’s All-Around
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Andrianov Nikolai | URS | 56.65 |
| 2. Nagai Genshi (永井現支) | JPN | 55.75 |
| 3. Kawaguchi Hiroshi | JPN | 55.55 |
| 4. Fujimoto Shun | JPN | 55.50 |
| 5. Li Song Sob | PRK | 55.30 |
| 6. Komissarov Valery | URS | 55.25 |
Men’s Event Finals
Floor
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Kawaguchi | JPN | 18.55 |
| 2. Marchenko Vladimir | URS | 18.35 |
| 3. Fujimoto | JPN | 18.30 |
Pommel Horse
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Andrianov | URS | 18.80 |
| 2. Richards Roberto | CUB | 18.45 |
| 3. Komissarov | URS | 18.25 |
Rings
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Boiko Vyacheslav | URS | 19.00 |
| 2. Szajna Andrzej | POL | 18.55 |
| 3. Kim Song Su | PRK | 18.40 |
Vault
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1T. Köste Klaus | GDR | 18.375 |
| 1T. Mack Lutz | GDR | 18.375 |
| 3. Li | PRK | 18.325 |
Parallel Bars
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Andrianov | URS | 18.85 |
| 2. Nagai | JPN | 18.70 |
| 3. Köste | GDR | 18.55 |
High Bar
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Fujimoto | JPN | 19.20 |
| 2. Andrianov | URS | 18.95 |
| 3T. Li | PRK | 18.75 |
| 3T. Kim Song Su* | PRK | 18.75 |
| 3T. Köste | GDR | 18.75 |
Women’s All-Around
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Schegolkova Tatiana | URS | 37.95 |
| 2. Bichukina Raisa | URS | 37.70 |
| 3T. Bogdanova Lyubov | URS | 37.65 |
| 3T. Grozdova Svetlana | URS | 37.65 |
| 5. Saadi Elvira | URS | 37.60 |
| 6T. Medveczky Krisztina | HUN | 37.05 |
| 6T. Pierce Roxanne | USA | 37.05 |
Vault
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Gehrke Beate | GDR | 19.15 |
| 2T. Schegolkova | URS | 19.00 |
| 2T. Saadi | URS | 19.00 |
Uneven Bars
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Bogdanova | URS | 19.15 |
| 2. Medveczky | HUN | 18.80 |
| 3. Grozdova | URS | 18.65 |
Beam
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Bichukina | URS | 19.05 |
| 2. Medveczky | HUN | 18.95 |
| 3. Bogdanova | URS | 18.90 |
Floor
| Gymnast | Country | Total |
| 1. Saadi | URS | 19.45 |
| 2. Grozdova | URS | 19.05 |
| 3. Bichukina | URS | 19.00 |
Russian-Language Commentary
The Men’s All-Around (Sovetsky Sport)
WITH OLYMPIC ASPIRATIONS
RIGA, April 7. (Our Special Correspondents). The national flags of Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, GDR, FRG, DPRK, Cuba, Netherlands, Romania, USA, Poland, Finland, France, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Yugoslavia, Japan and the USSR have decorated the Riga Sports Palace. Here, as already announced in Sovetsky Sport, international competitions in gymnastics have begun.
This competition is the largest gymnastics forum since the Munich Olympics. In addition, the University Games-73 are on the horizon. And in this respect, both gymnasts and their coaches consider the performances on the Riga platform as an excellent opportunity to try out the most diverse elements of future routines.
After the colorful opening parade, the gymnasts’ teams went to the apparatus. Our country was represented here by N. Andrianov, V. Boiko, V. Marchenko, and V. Komissarov. Soviet gymnasts began their performance with an optional program on high bar. The Japanese team, in which Olympic champion S. Kasamatsu could not perform due to an injury sustained during training, started with floor exercise. Together with the participant of the World Championship in Ljubljana F. Honma, young gymnasts G. Nagai, I. Kawaguchi, and S. Fujimoto took to the carpet.
The judges give Andrianov’s difficult routine a score of 9.5. Kawaguchi receives 9.2 and Nagai 9.1 points. After the change of apparatus, Andrianov completes his floor routine well, which included a number of interesting and complex elements, including a piked double back — 9.3 points. Nagai’s score for pommel horse was 9.4. Nevertheless, Andrianov, who once again proved his reputation as an excellent all-around athlete, retained the lead until the end of the competition: pommel horse – 9.5 points, rings – 9.4, vault – 9.35 and parallel bars – 9.6 points. Total – 56.65 points.
Nagai, a 23-year-old Japanese gymnast, took second place with 55.75, followed by his fellow countryman Kawaguchi in third place with 55.55.
The performances of young Japanese gymnasts, about whom practically nothing was known before (for example, Fujimoto took 8th place at the Japanese Championships, and Nagai – 12th), suggest that the leaders of gymnastics of this country intend to thoroughly review the reserves with an eye on the future Olympics. Their program is complex, but, for example, on parallel bars, rings, and vault, the Japanese have not yet achieved much.
М. VORONIN,Honored Master of Sports.
Р. REKUN.
Sovetsky Sport, April 8, 1973, No. 83
С ОЛИМПИЙСКИМ ПРИЦЕЛОМ
РИГА, 7 апреля. (Наши спец. корр.). Государственными флагами Болгарии, Великобритании, Венгрии, ГДР, ФРГ, КНДР, Кубы, Нидерландов, Румынии, США, Польши, Финляндии, Франции, Чехословакии, Швейцарии, Югославии, Японии и СССР украшен рижский Дворец спорта. Здесь, как уже сообщалось в «Советском спорте», начались международные соревнования по спортивной гимнастике.
Нынешнее состязание — крупнейший форум гимнастов после мюнхенской Олимпиады. К тому же на горизонте Универсиада-73. И в этом плане выступления на рижском помосте рассматриваются и гимнастами, и их тренерами как отличная возможность опробовать самые разнообразные элементы будущих комбинаций,
После красочного торжественного парада открытия команды гимнастов вышли к снарядам. Нашу страну здесь представляли Н. Андрианов, В. Бойко, В. Марченко и В. Комиссаров. Советские гимнасты начали выступление с произвольной программы на перекладине. Команда же Японии, в составе которой из-за травмы, полученной во время тренировки, не смог выступать олимпийский чемпион С. Касамацу, стартовала с исполнения вольных упражнений. Вместе с участником чемпионата мира в Любляне Ф. Хонма на ковер вышли молодые гимнасты Г. Нагаи, И. Кавагути и С. Фудзимото.
Сложную комбинацию Андрианова арбитры оценивают в 9,5 балла. Кавагути получает 9,2, а Нагаи — 9,1 балла. После смены снарядов Андрианов хорошо завершает комбинацию на ковре, включавшую ряд интересных сложных элементов, в том числе двойное сальто назад согнувшись — 9,3 балла. У Нагаи за комбинацию на коне — 9,4.
Тем не менее Андрианов, вновь подтвердивший свою репутацию великолепного многоборца, сохранил лидерство до, конца соревнований: конь — 9,5 балла, кольца — 9,4, опорный прыжок — 9,35 и брусья — 9,6 балла. Итого — 56,65 балла.
Второе место занял 23-летний японский гимнаст Нагаи — 55,75 балла, на третьем — его соотечественник Кавагути — 55,55.
Выступления молодых японских гимнастов, о которых ранее практически, ничего не было известно ‚ (например, Фудзимото занял 8-е место на чемпионате Японии, а Нагаи — 12-е), дают основание предполагать, что руководители гимнастики этой страны намерены основательно просмотреть резервы с прицелом на будущую Олимпиаду. Их программа сложна, но, к примеру, на брусьях, кольцах и в опорном прыжке японцы пока еще не блещут особыми достижениями.
М. ВОРОНИН,
заслуженный мастер спорта.
Р. РЕКУН.
The Event Finals
IN SEARCH OF COMPLEXITY
RIGA, 9 April. (By phone). Here ended the traditional international competitions in artistic gymnastics where the athletes from eighteen countries took part. After Nikolai Andrianov’s victory in the all-around brought him the “Amber Horse” – one of the two main prizes, the fight for the second prize began. The “Amber Beam” was intended for the leader in the women’s all-around. It went to Tatiana Schegolkova from Riga. She got quite high scores for every apparatus: 9.5 – vault; 9.5 – floor exercise; 9.6 – beam and 9.35 – uneven bars. 37.95 points in total.
On Sunday, the winners of gold medals in the event finals were determined. They were N. Andrianov, whose routines on pommel horse and parallel bars won first place. V. Boiko repeated last year’s success on the rings. The Olympic champion K. Köste from the GDR and his 20-year-old compatriot L. Mack won on vault — they both scored 18.375 points each. The Japanese gymnast S. Fujimoto won on horizontal bar, while the medal for floor exercise went to his compatriot I. Kawaguchi.
Among women in the event finals, the gold medals were awarded to the Olympic champion E. Saadi, who captured the audience with a brilliant performance, both in style and quality, on floor exercise. R. Bichukina from Moscow won first place on beam, L. Bogdanova was first on uneven bars, and B. Gehrke from the GDR got the gold for her vault.
I asked the Honored Master of Sports P. Astakhova to comment on the performance of the national women’s team.
“Overall, the routines on floor, uneven bars, and balance beam showed the advantage of our athletes, but we can’t say that the leaders’ positions are perfect. For example, a 15-year-old gymnast from Hungary, K. Medveczky, performs well on balance beam and uneven bars; she also demonstrates excellent strong-willed qualities. B. Gehrke from the GDR performed an excellent vault, also known as a “Tsukahara.” All this gives us a pause for thought…
Here are the thoughts of the head coach of the men’s national team L. Arkaev:
“Of course, N. Andrianov’s victory in the all-around, as well as in exercises on the pommel horse came as no surprise. Nikolai confirmed his reputation as the strongest all-arounder again. Together with his coach, the Honored Coach of the USSR N. Tolkachev, they are constantly looking for something new and audacious; they boldly take risks in mastering new elements. It pays off. Andrianov’s performance was light, free, confident, and elegant.
“V. Boiko and V. Marchenko deserve praise as well. Boiko performed a very complex routine on rings, including a cascade of strength elements. V. Marchenko showed highly difficult routines in almost all all-around events.
“The 19-year-old Japanese athlete Kawaguchi was quite impressive too – he demonstrated modern routines with strong confidence. His compatriot Fujimoto’s performance on horizontal bar stood out as well – his movements had great amplitude, and great purity of execution.”
R. REKUN.
Sovetsky Sport, April 10, 1973, No. 84
В ПОИСКАХ СЛОЖНОСТИ
РИГА, 9 апреля. (По телефону). Здесь закончились традиционные международные соревнования по спортивной гимнастике с участием спортсменов восемнадцати стран. После того как Николай Андрианов выиграл один из двух главных призов — «Янтарный конь», победив в многоборье, спор разгорелся за второй приз — «Янтарное бревно», предназначенный для лидера в женском многоборье. Завоевала его рижанка Татьяна Щеголькова. Она получила довольно высокие оценки на всех снарядах: 9,5 — опорный прыжок; 9,5 — вольные упражнения; 9,6 — бревно и 9,35 — брусья. В итоге 37,95 балла.
В воскресенье определились обладатели золотых медалей в отдельных видах многоборья. У мужчин ими стали: Н. Андрианов, который был первым в исполнении комбинаций на коне и на брусьях; В. Бойко, повторивший прошлогоднее достижение на кольцах; в опорном прыжке — олимпийский чемпион в этом упражнении К. Кёсте (ГДР) и его 20-летний соотечественник Л. Мак, набравшие по 18,375 балла; на перекладине — японский гимнаст С. Фудзимото и в вольных упражнениях его соотечественник И. Кавагути.
Среди женщин в отдельных видах гимнастического многоборья золотых медалей удостоены олимпийская чемпионка Э. Саади, покорившая зрителей блестящим по стилю ин качеству исполнением вольных упражнений; на бревне — юная москвичка Р. Бичукина, на брусьях — Л. Богданова, в опорном прыжке — гимнастка из ГДР Б. Герке.
Я попросил прокомментировать выступление женской команды страны заслуженного мастера спорта П. Астахову.
— В принципе вольные упражнения, комбинации на брусьях и на бревне показали преимущество наших спортсменок, но думать, что позиции лидера безупречны, нельзя. Хорошо, например, работает на бревне и брусьях 15-летняя гимнастка из Венгрни К. Медвецки, причем демонстрирует она и отличные волевые качества. Четко выполнила опорный прыжок (известный как прыжок «цукахара») спортсменка из ГДР Б. Герке. Все это дает нам, пищу для размышлений…
А вот мнение старшего тренера мужской сборной страны Л. Аркаева:
— Безусловно, победа Н. Андрианова в многоборье, а также в упражнениях на коне ин брусьях не была для нас неожиданной. Николай вновь подтвердил репутацию сильнейшего многоборца. Вместе со своим наставником заслуженным тренером СССР Н. Толкачевым они постоянно ищут новое, дерзают, смело идут на риск в освоении элементов. И это оправдывает себя. В целом же Андрианов выступал легко, свободно, уверенно и элегантно.
Похвалы заслуживают В. Бойко и В. Марченко. Бойко исполнил очень сложную комбинацию на кольцах, включающую каскад силовых элементов. В. Марченко показал сложнейшие комбинации почти во всех видах многоборья.
Оставил впечатление 19-летний японский спортсмен Кавагути, который довольно уверенно демонстрировал современные комбинации. По выступлению на перекладине запомнился и его соотечественник Фудзимото: он работал с широчайшей амплитудой движений, продемонстрировал чистоту исполнения элементов.
Р. РЕКУН.
Latvian-Language Commentary
An Overview of the Competition
This article gives a bit more detail about what happened during the competition. For example, Schegolkova tripped on floor during event finals, Andrianov stumbled on his dismount on parallel bars, and Grozdova fell off beam.
Nikolai Andrianov Was the One Who Won the Most Medals
The international gymnastics competition “Riga-73” has ended. The Riga Sports Palace was in a joyous atmosphere up to the final act. The majority of the medals and honors went to Soviet gymnasts, but the Japanese and German Democratic Republic athletes also stood on the highest podium twice. As it was in the previous competitions in Riga and in the Olympic Games in Munich, only the athletes from Japan and the German Democratic Republic, who actively pursue new opportunities to broaden their program, may be compared with the national team gymnasts of the USSR. Gymnasts from the majority of the other 15 nations in Riga are only beginners in this kind of sport.
Tatiana Schegolkova from Riga won the all-around award provided by the Dzintara baļķi newspaper. This time, she truly merited the symbolic prize because she got the highest score of 9.6 points on the “trickier” apparatus – the beam (9.5 points on vault and floor exercise). Raisa Bichukina, the second-place winner, lost to the Riga athlete by 0.25 points in the all-around. Third place was shared by thirteen-year-old Russian Svetlana Grozdova from Rostov City and Lyubov Bogdanova. Our sportswoman Elvira Saadi, winner of the gold medal of the Olympic Games, came in fifth. American Roxanne Pierce and Hungarian Krisztina Medveczky were in sixth and seventh positions. Very good success was also achieved by the youngest – the twelve-year-old student from Leipzig, Steffi Kräker (German Democratic Republic) – 18th position. Young Swiss Patrizia Bazzi was one position higher. Two years ago, in the Riga competition, Patrizia was the youngest participant.
[Note: Kräker would go on to win 4 Olympic medals and 6 World Championship medals, many of which were bronze medals on vault.]
On Sunday, [April 8,] the men’s and women’s individual apparatus finals were held. On the first day, on floor exercise, E. Saadi, a student of the Tashkent Institute of Physical Education, received the highest score (9.7). On Sunday, she performed again and received an even higher score of 9.75. Thus, in Riga, the Olympic champion won at least one gold medal. Her friend from Riga, T. Schegolkova tripped on the carpet. However, second and third place were also won by Soviet gymnasts – S. Grozdova and R. Bichukina. Our girls received medals, roses, and a kiss on the cheek from their coach, Larisa Latynina. The USSR athletes faced their only loss on vault. Beate Gehrke (German Democratic Republic) won with 19.15 points. She was warmly congratulated by the two silver medal winners – T. Schegolkova and E. Saadi (19 points each). As for uneven bars and beam, our girls’ main competitor was the Hungarian K. Medveczky, who won the silver medal in both disciplines. L. Bogdanova won the uneven bars competition, but the most stable performance on the beam was shown by R. Bichukina. T. Schegolkova was unsuccessful on beam this time. S. Grozdova also experienced a fall.
In the men’s finals, while performing on parallel bars, the Olympic champion Nikolai Andrianov stumbled a bit on the dismount; however, the joint score was high enough to beat the other medal winners – N. Nagoya (Japan) and K. Köste (German Democratic Republic). N. Andrianov won a second gold medal on pommel horse, while V. Komisarov from Riga ranked third. For the third year in a row, the Soviet athlete V. Boiko was able to get a score of 19.0 on rings. Polish guest A. Szajna had 0.5 points less. Japanese athletes received two gold medals. S. Fujimoto won high bar. He scored 9.6 points both times. The silver medal was won by N. Andrianov, and three athletes went after the bronze medal. Kim Song Din and Li Song Sob, representatives of the Korean Democratic Republic, and the Olympic champion K. Köste had the same score. The Japanese I. Kawaguchi won floor. V. Marchenko (USSR) came in second. Two athletes of the German Democratic Republic – L. Mack and K. Köste — had the same score on vault, and merited master of sport Y. Titov was the one who presented gold medals to the athletes.
Gymnasts from 18 countries bid farewell to Riga. Sports Palace received many more commemorative awards. Hearty handshakes and — “See you at the competition ‘Riga-74’!”
A SPARS
Photo by J. KALNINS
Padomju Jaunatne, Nr. 70, April 10, 1973
Visvairāk medaļu Nikolajam Andrianovam
Starptautiskās sporta vingrošanas sacensības «Riga-73» beigušās. Līdz pat beigu cēlienam Rīgas Sporta pili valdīja svinīgs noskaņojums. Lielāko daļu balvu un medaļu saņēma padomju vingrotāji, bet divas reizes uz augstākā goda pjedestāla nostājās ari VDR un Japānas meistari. Tāpat kā iepriekšējās sacensībās Rīgā, tāpat kā olimpiskajās spēlēs Minhenē, ar PSRS izlases vingrotājiem ir iespējams līdzināties tikai Japānas un VDR sportistiem, kuri centīgi nodarbojas ar
jauniem meklējumiem savas programmas daudzveidošanai. Lielākā daļa no pārējo 15 valstu
vingrotājiem Rīgā bija tikai šā sporta veida mācekļi.
Sieviešu daudzcīņā «Dzintara baļķi» izcīnīja rīdziniece Tatjana Sčegoļkova. Šo simbolisko balvu viņa šoreiz bija patiešām nopelnījusi, jo tieši uz «viltīgāka» rika — baļķa saņēma visaugstāko atzīmi 9.6 punktus (atbalsta lēcienos un brīvajās kustībās — 9,5 punktus). Otrās vietas ieguvēja Raisa Bičukina kopvērtējumā rīdziniecei zaudēja par 0,25 punktiem. Trešo vietu dalīja trīspadsmit gadus vecā rostoviete Svetlana Grozdova un Ļubova Bogdanova. Ari piektajā vietā ierindojās mūsu sportiste — olimpisko spēļu zelta medaļas ieguvēja Elvīra Sādi. Sestajā un septītajā vietā — amerikāniete Roksana Pirsa un ungāriete Kristina Medvecka. Itin labi panākumi bija ari visjaunākajai — divpadsmit gadus vecajai Leipcigas skolniecei Stefijal Krēgerei ( VDR) — 18. vieta. Vienu vietu augstāk par viņu tika mazā šveiciete Patriciļa Baci. Pirms diviem gadiem Rīgas sacikstēs Patricija bija visļaunākā.
Svētdien vīriešiem tin sievietēm uz atsevišķiem rīkiem notika finālciņas. Pirmajā dienā brīvajās kustībās Taškentas fiziskās kultūras Institūta studente E. Sādi bija dabūjusi augstāko atzīmi (9,7). Svētdien viņa vingroja vēlreiz un ieguva vēl lielāku punktu skaitu — 9,75. Tādējādi olimpiskajai čempionei Rīgā tika vismaz viena zelta medaļa. Viņas draudzene ridziniece T. Sčegoļkova uz paklāja paklupa. Tomēr ari otro un trešo lietu izcīnīja padomju vingrotājas — S. Grozdova un R. Bičukina. Mūsu meitenes saņēma medaļas, rozes un treneres Larisas Latiņinas skūpstu. Ar vienīgo zaudējumu PSRS sportistes dabūja iepazīties tikai atbalsta lēcienos. Uzvarēja Beate Gerke (VDR) ar 19.15 punktiem. Viņu sirsnīgi apsveica abas sudraba medaļu ieguvējas — T. Sčegoļkova un E. Sādi (katrai — 19 punktu). Līdztekās un vingrojumos uz baļķa mūsu meitenēm galveni konkurente bija ungāriete K. Medvecka, kas abos veidos izcīnīja sudraba medaļu. Uz līdztekām uzvarēja Ļ. Bogdanova, bet uz baļķa stabilākais sniegums bija R. Bičukinai. Vingrojumā uz baļķa šoreiz neveicās T. Sčegolkovai, tāpat kritiens gadījās ari S. Grozdovai.
Vīriešu finalsacensibās. vingrojot uz līdztekām, nolēcienā mazliet paklupa olimpiskais čempions Nikolajs Andrianovs, tomēr kopīgā atzīme bija pietiekami liela, lai pārspētu pārējo medaļu ieguvējus — N. Nagoi (Japāna) un K. Kesit (VDR). Otro zelta medaļu N. Andrianovs ieguva vingrojumā uz zirga, bet trešajā vietā ierindotās rīdzinieks V. Komisarovs. Jau trešo gadu pēc kārtas vingrojumos uz apļiem pārliecinoši uzvarēja padomju sportists V. Boiko — 19,0 punkti. Par 0,5 punktiem mazāk bija poļu viesim A. Sejnam. Japānas sportisti saņēma divas zelta medaļas. Vingrojumos uz stieņa uzvarēja S. Fudžimoto, kas abas reizes ieguva 9,6 punktus. Sudraba medaļu izcīnīja N. Andrianovs, bet pēc bronzas medaļas devās trīs sportisti. Vienāds punktu skaits bija Korejas TDR pārstāvjiem Kim Son Inam un Li Son Sopam, kā ari olimpiskajam čempionam K. Ķestem. Brīvajās kustībās uzvarēja japānis I. Kavaguti, otrais bija V. Marčenko (PSRS). Atbalsta lēcienos diviem VDR sportistiem — M. Lucam un K. Kestem — bija vienāds rezultāts, un Nopelniem bagātais sporta meistars J. Titovs katram pasniedzu
pa zelta medaļai.
18 valstu vingrotāji atvadījās no Rīgas. Sporta pili vēl daudzi saņēma piemiņas balvas. Sirsnīgi rokasspiedieni un —
«Uz redzēšanos sacensībās
«Riga-74»!»
A SPARS
J. KALNIŅA foto
Appendix: A Short Piece on Beate Gehrke
After the the competition, Neues Deutschland printed a short blurb about Beate Gehrke. I’ve translated it below because not much has been written about one of the first women to compete a Tsukahara on vault.
Beate Gehrke
The now-18 year old Rostock secondary school student already attracted international attention in the previous year, as she put forward a “female variation of the world-famous Tsukahara vault” in the Riga Tournament. At that time, she received a special prize from the jury for her courage in risk-taking. Last weekend, at the same location, Beate proved that she was also had a masterful command of the “normal” Yamashita, and won a gold medal with this vault.
Beate began gymnastics at eleven years old. Her mother, who used to be active on the equipment herself, instilled her love for it. At the age of 15, the 1.55 tall Beate was already a candidate for the World Championships, won the Spartakiade special class easily, was then thrown back due to injuries, and just missed placing on the Olympic team by a hair’s breadth. She would like to help strengthen and increase the good reputation that the Rostock women Marianne Noack and Christine Schmitt, who have now left the national team, have fought for in their sports club.
Neues Deutschland, April 10, 1973
Beate Gehrke
Die jetzt 18jährige Rostocker Oberschülerin erregte international bereits im Vorjahr Aufsehen, als sie beim Rigaer Turnier mit einer „weiblichen Variante des weltberühmten Tsukahara-Sprunges aufwartete. Sie bekam damals für ihren Mut, zum Risiko einen Sonderpreis der Jury zugesprochen. Am vergangenen Wochenende bewies Beate an gleicher Stelle, daß sie auch den „normalen” Yamashita meisterhaft beherrscht und holte sich mit diesem Sprung die Goldmedaille.
Beate begann mit elf Jahren zu turnen. Die Liebe dazu flößte ihr die Mutter ein, ehemals selbst an den Geräten aktiv. Schon mit 15 gehörte die 1.55 kleine Beate zu den WM-Kandidaten, gewann den Wettkampf der Spartakiade-Sonderklasse souverän, wurde dann durch Verletzungen zurückgeworfen und verfehlte den Platz in der Olympiariege nur um Haaresbreite. Sie möchte gerne den guten Ruf, den die aus der National: Mannschaft verabschiedeten Rostockerinnen Marianne Noack und Christine Schmitt für ihren Sportklub erkämpft haben, festigen und vergrößern helfen.
Note: Gehrke did not compete a Tsukahara in Riga in 1973:
The comparison which was also taking place with the Japanese gymnasts will show to what extent the successors of the retired Karin Janz, Erika Zuchold, Christine Schmitt and Marianne Noack, have already succeeded in closing the gaps which have arisen. In Riga, where the Soviet girls clearly dominated, Rostock’s Beate Gehrke also won the gold medal in the vault with two clean Yamashitas, although she couldn’t even show the more difficult Tsukahara with somersault due to a shin injury.
Berliner Zeitung, April 10, 1973
Der ebenfalls stattfindende Vergleich mit den Japanischen Turnerinnen wird zeigen, inwieweit es den Nachfolgerinnen der zurückgetretenen Karin Janz, Erika Zuchold, Christine Schmitt und Marianne Noack schon gelungen ist, die entstandene Lücke zu schließen. In Riga, wo die sowjetischen Mädchen klar dominierten, holte sich die Rostockerin Beate Gehrke mit zwei sauberen Yamashitas ebenfalls im Sprung die Goldmedaille, wobei sie wegen einer Schienbeinverletzung nicht einmal den schwierigeren Tsukahara mit Salto zeigen konnte.
More on 1973