Ming van Eijken

Ming Gherardi van Eijken
van Eijken at the 2022 European Championships
Personal information
Full name	Ming Gherardi van Eijken
Nickname(s)	Mingou
Born	(2008-04-03) 3 April 2008 (age 17) Hong Kong
Gymnastics career
Discipline	Women's artistic gymnastics
Country represented	France
Years on national team	2021–present (FRA)
Club	Gym'Dans' Francheville
Gym	Pole France Saint-Etienne
Head coach(es)	Monique Hagard, Marie Angélique Colson, Julien Kerninon
Former coach(es)	Eric Hagard
Choreographer	Monique Hagard
Medal record Representing   France European Championships 2024 Rimini Team 2024 Rimini Vault Junior World Championships 2023 Antalya Vault

Ming Gherardi van Eijken (born 3 April 2008) ^[1] is a French artistic gymnast. She is the 2023 Junior World Championships and 2024 European bronze medalist on vault. She represented France at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Personal life

Van Eijken was born in 2008 in Hong Kong. She began gymnastics when she was three years old in France. ^[2] She was born to a Dutch father, French mother, and has an Italian grandfather. ^[3]

Junior gymnastics career

2022

Van Eijken competed at the 2022 City of Jesolo Trophy where she helped France finish sixth as a team. ^[4] In August she competed at the European Championships where she helped France finish fifth as a team. ^[5] During event finals van Eijken won silver on vault behind Sabrina Voinea. ^[6]

2023

In March van Eijken competed at the DTB Pokal Team Challenge where she helped France place fourth as a team. Individually she won gold on vault and placed fifth on floor exercise. ^[7] Van Eijken was selected to compete at the 2023 Junior World Championships in Antalya, Turkey alongside Lana Pondart and Lilou Viallat; the team finished in eleventh place. ^[8] Individually van Eijken qualified for the vault final. During the final van Eijken performed two clean vaults and won the bronze medal behind Mia Mainardi and July Marano, earning France its first ever Junior World Championship medal. ^[9]

Senior gymnastics career

2024

Van Eijken was selected to make her senior international debut at the 2024 Trophy of Jesolo where she won gold on vault. In May she competed at the European Championships alongside Marine Boyer, Lorette Charpy, Coline Devillard, and Morgane Osyssek. ^[10] During event finals she won bronze on vault behind teammate Devillard and Valentina Georgieva of Bulgaria. During the team final van Eijken helped France win the bronze medal behind Italy and Great Britain.

In July van Eijken was officially selected to represent France at the 2024 Olympic Games alongside Boyer, Mélanie de Jesus dos Santos, Devillard, and Osyssek. ^[11] They finished eleventh in qualifications and did not advance to the team final. ^[12]

Competitive history

Year	Event	Team	AA	VT	UB	BB	FX
Junior
2021	French Championships
	Swiss Cup Juniors		13
	Elite Gym Massilia	4		5
	French National Team Review		4
2022	French Test Meet		4
	City of Jesolo Trophy	6	28
	Haguenau Friendly		11
	French Championships		6
	European Championships	5
2023	DTB Pokal Team Challenge	4					5
	Junior World Championships	11
	French Championships		10				4
	Épernay Friendly		13
	Tournoi International				4
Senior
2024	City of Jesolo Trophy	5
	European Championships						8
	Olympic Games	11		R2
	Christmas Cup

References

1. "2nd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships Antalya (TUR), 29 March - 2 April 2023 Women Entry List by NOC" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . International Gymnastics Federation. 2 April 2023. p. 9.
2. "Ming van Eijken FIG Profile". International Gymnastics Federation .
3. "Ming Gherardi : "Je ne pensais pas avoir les capacités pour faire du haut-niveau mais il est venu à moi"".
4. "U.S. gymnasts sweep junior and senior team titles, all-around gold at 2022 City of Jesolo Trophy competition". USA Gymnastics . April 9, 2022.
5. "The 2022 junior European all-around and team Champions … Helen Kevric (GER) and Italy!". European Gymnastics . August 12, 2022.
6. "Sabrina Voinea, Martina Pieratti, Anna Laschevska and Amalia Puflea crowned junior European Champions!". European Gymnastics . August 14, 2022.
7. "GAM-GAF - 5 Médailles Lors De La DTB Pokal" [MAG/WAG - 5 medals at the DTB]. French Gymnastics Federation (in French). March 20, 2023.
8. "2nd FIG Artistic Gymnastics Junior World Championships Antalya (TUR), 29 March - 2 April 2023 Women's Team Final Ranking" (PDF). USA Gymnastics . International Gymnastics Federation. 30 March 2023.
9. "GAM/GAF - CMJ - Du Bronze Historique Pour Ming Gherardi van Eijken" [MAG/WAG - JWC - Historic Bronze for Ming Gherardi van Eijen]. French Gymnastics Federation (in French). April 3, 2023.
10. "GAF - CE 2024 - L'équipe de France Féminine Dévoilée" [WAG - EC 2024 - The French Women's Team Revealed]. French Gymnastics Federation (in French). April 4, 2024.
11. "GAF - JO 2024 - La Composition De L'équipe De France Féminine Est Désormais Connue" [WAG - OG 2024 - The Composition Of The French Women's Team Is Now Known]. French Gymnastics Federation (in French). July 7, 2024.
12. "2024 Olympic Games results". The Gymternet. August 5, 2024.