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 So, on that thursday evening on November
the 5th, I went together with my parents and a friend from
school to the Arenahal in Deurne. Because we had these VIP-tickets,
we didn't need to wait in the row of people and when we
entered, we saw we had some luxorious chaires. Everybody
had to sit on tough chairs, and we had comfortable chairs
in the front row.
I looked around and I saw the Russians sitting there all
together on the mat. I knew this was my chance to ask for
an autographe or a photo. I still had lots of time: we were
there 2 h before the Gala begun!
First, I asked Ludmilla Ejova to go on the photo with me.
I asked it in Russian (I practised some Russian) because
I tought it would be easier for her. She put on a big smile
and she was very happy I think I asked her, because she
immediately grapped her arm around my neck and I had so
sit down on my knees, otherwise she wouldn't be able to
even touch my shoulder! I still can't believe she was so
little. She was as tall as I was on my knees! She was very
nice and kind and very very cute! She smiled the whole time
and I congratulated her with her 2 silver medals, she said
'spacieba balshoj', which means: thank you very much and
she gave me a kiss!!!!!! I really was so happy and I just
couldn't believe it; I just got a kiss from a two time silver
medallist from the World Championships! If all these gymnasts
would be so kind as she was, it would be a wonderful night
for me, that was for sure.
 I saw Elena Zamolodchikova warming up
and I asked her for an autograph in one of my books of gymnastics,
and she put two in it. I asked her to go on the photo and
she also said: of course! I tought she would smile, but
she didn't. I don't know why actually... When I asked Svetlana
Khorkina to sign my photo from the World Championships where
she was together with Natalia Ziganshina, she said: Nice
photo! She signed it with pleasure and she went on the photo
with me. Just like Zamo, she didn't smile... I knew Svetlana
was 1.64 m, but compared to me, she was little...
Than I asked Natalia Ziganshina, and she was as kind as
Ludmilla. She gave me 3 autographes on all kinds of photos
and she smiled on the photo with me. She was also very nice
to me and I also congratulated her. She was a bit shy and
she only said: spacieba, which means: here you go! When
I had a photo and an autograph of everyone of the Russian
team, I went to the Romanian team, and Marian Dragulescu
was very nice to me. He was very funny. Andreea Raducan
wasn't that nice as I tought... She only signed my books
and that was it, she didn't even say something. But I was
very happy she already signed it!
 Finally, the Gala started. Ludmilla Ejova
was on bars and she did her EF-one. She recieved lots of
applause. Khorkina didn't do her whole routine, only parts
of it, but the public gave her a huge applause... Andreea
Raducan performed her tucked full on beam and between her
moves she blew kisses to the public. She enjoyed her routine
and it was lovely to see. But on floor, she did nothing
difficult, she did some flicks and summersaults, but no
twists or nothing. But of course, she could count on lots
of support from the public and the public went crazy! It
was nice to see the pleasure all over her face!!!!!
Sean Towsend performed a good excercise on paralel bars,
but didn't recieve much applause. I wonder why not... Maybe
because he's not that known in Belgium? I don't know! Natalia
Ziganshina performed a great floor excercise with lots of
difficult moves and she got lots of applause, just like
Daniele Hypolito, who also performed a good floor excercise.
Renske Endel performed a very solid bars routine and was
one of the most applauded gymnasts of the Gala, just like
Oksana Chusovitina, who performed on vault with two good
ones. The most funny excercises were the ones of Marius
Urzica and Marian Dragulescu, who both did like they were
stupids and they had to help each other with the moves and
it was very lovely to see how they enjoyed the public. It
was something else than the other performances...
 Before I knew, the Gala was over and I
was so happy I could take home my books with lots of autographs
in it, my camera with great photos (at least, that was what
I hoped) and I could go home with a great feeling and an
enormous proud I was on the photo with these famous gymnasts...
I had a feeling I've never had before and I just couldn't
believe it... I just had the most wonderful day of my life
and I know I' ve had the chance of my life... From than
on, I'm even more obsessed with gymnastics...
Because thanks to gymnastics, I've already had some great
moments in my life I'll never forget... I went to the Antwerp
Olympic Gym Gala after the Olympics (it was one of the best
gala's ever), I met Nadia Comaneci and Bart Conner when
they were in Antwerp to promote the World Championships
and I could go to this Gala, a Gala I'll never forget...
And this all thanks to Paul Vanderhallen, who was the one
who could take care of it I could go to this great moments.
I would like to thank him a lot, because without him, I
would never had such great moments!!!!!!! I'm so glad I
know this man!
Now, every photo and autograph is above my bed or desk
and every time I look at these pics, I think back on the
best day in my life. For me, this thay was like a Fairy
Tale, a Perpetual Fairy Tale...
natalia
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