Elze Geurts Explained

Elze Geurts
Full Name:	Elisabeth Geurts
Nickname:	Elze
Birth Date:	1995 4, df=yes
Birth Place:	Raalte, Netherlands^[1]
Hometown:	Amsterdam, Netherlands
Height:	1.65 m^[2]
Discipline:	WAG
Level:	Senior International Elite
Club:	Turnz Amsterdam
Headcoach:	Aimee Boorman
Show-Medals:	yes

Elisabeth "Elze" Geurts (born 26 April 1995) is a Dutch artistic gymnast. She represented her country at the 2021 World Championships, as well as at the 2015, 2017 and 2019 Summer Universiade, and was named an alternate to the Dutch gymnastics team for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Personal life

As of 2021, Geurts was studying medicine and philosophy at the University of Amsterdam.^{[3] [4]}

Career

Geurts has had an unusual career trajectory for an elite gymnast, as she did not make the national team until her twenties. Although she was considered a top prospect as a child, she plateaued as an adolescent and was written off as too tall to be competitive. Her progress had also been hindered by two Achilles tendon ruptures.

Geurts represented the Netherlands at the 2015, 2017 and 2019 Summer Universiade.^[5] She qualified to the vault final at both the 2017 and 2019 Universiade, finishing eighth and sixth respectively.^{[6] [7]}

In 2021, Geurts won the all-around at the 1st Dutch Olympic Trial, where she also picked up the gold on vault, silver on floor exercise and bronze on the uneven bars. She was named an alternate to the Dutch team for the postponed 2020 Summer Olympics after placing eighth in the all-around at the 2nd Olympic Trial.^{[8] [9] [10]}

Following the Tokyo Olympics, Geurts placed first on vault at the 1st Dutch Worlds Trial,^[11] and was selected to compete at the 2021 World Championships in Kitakyushu, Japan, making her World championship debut at the age of 26.^[12] In the qualification round of the World championships, Geurts qualified to the vault final in second place behind reigning Olympic vault champion Rebeca Andrade.^[13] She also placed thirteenth on floor exercise, and was the third reserve for the floor final.^[14] However, during the vault final, Geurts fell on her second vault and placed eighth with a total score of 13.349.^[15]

In February 2022, Geurts suffered a torn ACL in her right knee while training.^[16]

Selected competitive skills

Apparatus	Name	Description	Difficulty	Performed
Vault	Baitova	Yurchenko entry, laid out salto backwards with two twists	5.0	2021
Uneven Bars	Piked jaeger	Reverse grip swing to piked salto forwards to catch high bar	D	2021
Floor Exercise	Podkopayeva I	Double salto forward tucked	E	2021
	Tarasevich	Salto forward stretched with double (2/1) twist	D	2021

Competitive history

Year	Event	Team	AA	VT	UB	BB	FX
2015	align=left	Summer Universiade		18
2016	align=left	Wase Gymcup		8
	Dutch Team Championships	7	11
	Bundesliga Semifinals
2017	align=left	1st Bundesliga	6
	IAG SportEvent		4
	Dutch Championships		7	6	5	4
	Summer Universiade	5		8
	Dutch Women's Invitational		6		6		7
	2nd Bundesliga	6
	Wase Gymcup					4
	3rd Bundesliga	8	9
	Dutch Team Championships
2018	align=left	1st Bundesliga
	2nd Bundesliga
	3rd Bundesliga		5
	Klaverblad Championships
	Dutch Championships		11
	Heerenveen Friendly		16		8
	Varsenare Friendly		10
	4th Bundesliga		10
2019	align=left	2nd Bundesliga	7	15
	FIT Challenge		25
	Dutch Championships		9	4			4
	Summer Universiade		9	6
	3rd Bundesliga	8	5
	Dutch Team Championships	4	5
2020	align=left	1st Bundesliga		4
2021	align=left	Heerenveen Friendly
	1st Dutch Olympic Trial
	2nd Dutch Olympic Trial		8
	1st Dutch Worlds Trial		4
	2nd Dutch Worlds Trial			4
	align=left				8

^[5]

Notes and References

1. Web site: GEURTS Elisabeth - FIG Athlete Profile. International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). June 14, 2021.
2. Web site: 2019 Summer Universiade Entry List. 1 July 2019. 2 July 2022.
3. Web site: GEURTS Elze Universiade Athlete Profile. International University Sports Federation (FISU). June 14, 2021.
4. Web site: Topturnster Elze Geurts (25) uit Raalte: dit moet er gebeuren om de turncultuur te veranderen. Top gymnast Elze Geurts (25) from Raalte: this has to happen to change the gymnastics culture. De Stentor. Dutch. 16 April 2021.
5. Web site: Elisabeth ‘Elze’ Geurts on The Gymternet. The Gymternet. 4 July 2021.
6. Web site: 2017 Summer Universiade. The Gymternet. 22 August 2017. 2 July 2022.
7. Web site: 2019 Summer Universiade results. The Gymternet. 10 July 2019. 2 July 2022.
8. Web site: Geurts verrast zichzelf met olympische kandidatuur: 'Bungelde altijd onderaan'. Geurts surprises herself with Olympic candidacy: 'Always dangled at the bottom'. NOS. Dutch. June 13, 2021.
9. Web site: Elze Geurts wint eerste Olympische kwalificatiewedstrijd. Elze Geurts wins first Olympic qualifier. Dutchgymnerd. Dutch. June 13, 2021.
10. Web site: Nederlands olympisch turnteam dames en afvaardiging turnen heren bekend. Dutch Olympic women's team and men's delegation in gymnastics announced. Dutch Gymnastics. nl. 27 June 2021. 4 July 2021. 1 July 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210701001646/https://dutchgymnastics.nl/nieuws/nederlands-olympisch-turnteam-dames-en-afvaardiging-turnen-heren-bekend. dead.
11. Web site: 1st Dutch Worlds Trials results. The Gymternet. 13 September 2021. 2 July 2022.
12. Web site: Patient Geurts savoring first Worlds at 26. International Gymnastics Federation (FIG). 18 October 2021. 2 July 2022.
13. Web site: Melnikova, Andrade Impress On Day Two Of Worlds, As Women’s Qualifications Conclude. International Gymnast. 19 October 2021. 2 July 2022.
14. Web site: Women’s Floor Exercise Qualification. GymnasticsResults. 18 October 2021. 2 July 2022.
15. Web site: Women’s Vault Final. GymnasticsResults. 23 October 2021. 2 July 2022.
16. Web site: Topturnster Elze Geurts Ernstig Geblesseerd. Top gymnast Elze Geurts Seriously Injured. Dutch Gymnastics. NL. 11 February 2022. 2 July 2022.