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Famous Fans: Henk Gemser
1 February 2010, 5:01
Right now the sporting world’s attention is focused on the Olympic Winter Games,
which will kick off in Vancouver, Canada, on 12 February. However, once those
games are over, the sports media will start focusing on other events, such as
the Rotterdam Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. Artistic gymnastics is
one of the three most popular sports of the Olympics, the other two being
swimming and athletics (track and field). Since no swimming and athletics world
championships will be held this year, the 2010 Artistic Gymnastics World
Championships will presumably receive a fair bit of attention from the
international sports media and fans alike. The Dutch gymnasts hope the 2010
Worlds will draw many local spectators, and have requested that these spectators
be dressed in their national colour, orange. The gymnasts have some famous fans
who intend to do just that. One of them is Henk Gemser (pictured above), the legendary
coach under whose tutelage Dutch speed-skaters amassed many world and Olympic
gold medals. Gemser, who will head the Dutch delegation at the Vancouver
Olympics, is a staunch supporter of the Netherlands’ national gymnastics team,
and will be sure to attend the competition in the Ahoy arena, carrying his
special orange-coloured fan scarf.
The Dutch men’s and women’s gymnastics teams have asked their fans to come to
Rotterdam in great numbers, especially during the qualifying phase of the
competition. They will need the crowd’s support to stay in the running for a
berth in the Olympic team competition. Qualification for the 2012 Olympics will
take place on the first four days of the Worlds, when all the competitors will
get to perform their routines. They will be four marvellous days on which the
fans will get to enjoy the best the sport has to offer, from early morning until
late evening. If you wish to express your support for your team (be it the Dutch
team or another team), make sure you buy your tickets as soon as they go on
sale!
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