HERMOD 50 ÅR Gymnastikforeningen Hermod holdt søndag d. 16. januar 50 års jubilæumsstævne på Palads Hotel. Landets bedste gymnaster var kommet til Esbjerg for at deltage i stævnet, der siden blev karakteriseret som en sand perle blandt de mange stævner, der i foreningens 50 årige historie var blevet afholdt i Esbjerg. Der var en særlig Esbjerg-krølle på stævnet, for det var første gang, gymnasten og by-barnet Elkana Grønne deltog i et stævne i Esbjerg siden sin karantæne i 1951. Han havde været med Flensted Jensen i USA i 1950-51, hvilket blev opfattet som professionel gymnastik, og han fik tre års karantæne fra al konkurrencegymnastik. Selv om han ikke længere stillede op for Hermod, men for Slagelse, modtog esbjergenserne ham meget positivt, og han kvitterede for modtagelsen ved at vise storslået gymnastik og vinde en sikker sejr. Elkana Grønne opnåede 66,25 point. Hans nærmeste konkurrent, Freddy Jensen, Hermes, opnåede 65,47 point. Det var den største forskel på de to gymnasters præstationer siden et stævne i Vejle, der gjaldt udtagelsen til det danske landshold mod Sverige. Alligevel turde journalisten fra dagbladet Vestkysten ud fra stævneresultatet ikke spå om udfaldet af det forestående Danmarksmesterskab, der skulle finde sted tre måneder senere. Nr. 3 blev Børge Nielsen, Viborg, med 65,14 point. Elkana Grønne opnåede de bedste resultater i ringe, øvelser på gulv og spring over hest med henholdsvis 9,77, 9,70 og 9,73 points. I ringøvelsen var han suveræn blandt samtlige gymnaster, og øvelserne var af så højt format, som man næppe tidligere havde set i Esbjerg. Foruden Elkana Grønne nåede kun Freddy Jensen over 9 points i denne øvelse. Derimod opnåede samtlige gymnaster at få noteret over 9 points i spring over hest. I øvelser på gulv var Elkana Grønne også en klasse for sig, og han præsterede her en serie nye og overraskende ting. Det samme var tilfældet i behændighedsøvelserne og i dagens sidste øvelse, reck, for hvilke han opnåede henholdsvis 9,52 og 9,63 points. Kun i barre nåede Elkana Grønne ikke at komme over 9 points. Sådan måtte det blive, når øvelsen ikke blev fuldt gennemført, men måtte afsluttes før tid på grund af overbalance. Der manglede bl. a. en en-arms håndstand.

HERMOD 50 YEARS Sunday January 16 the gymnastics club Hermod celebrated their 50th anniversary meet at the Palads Hotel. The best gymnasts in the country had come to Esbjerg to participate in the meet, which was later characterized as a true pearl among the many meets that have been held in Esbjerg in the organization's 50 year history. The meet had a special Esbjerg connection, because for the first time gymnast and Esbjerg native Elkana Grønne participated in a meet in Esbjerg since his suspension in 1951. He had been in the U.S. with Flensted Jensen in 1950-51, which had been considered professional gymnastics, and he was suspended for three years from all competitive gymnastics. Although he no longer represented Hermod, but rather Slagelse, the Esbjerg residents received him very positively, and he returned the favor by demonstrating spectacular gymnastics and winning convincingly. Elkana Grønne achieved 66.25 points. His closest competitor, Freddy Jensen, Hermes, achieved 65.47 points. It was the greatest difference in the performances of the two gymnasts since a meet in Vejle over selection for the Danish national team against Sweden. In spite of this the journalist from the daily newspaper Vestkysten dared not predict based on these results the outcome of the upcoming Danish championships, which were to take place three months later. No. 3 was Børge Nielsen, Viborg, with 65.14 points. Elkana Grønne achieved best results in rings, floor exercises and pommel horse with 9.77, 9.70, and 9.73 points, respectively. In rings he was untouchable among all gymnasts, and the exercises were of such superior quality as has probably never been seen in Esbjerg. Beside Elkana Grønne only Freddy Jensen reached over 9 points in this discipline. On the other hand all the gymnasts were judged to more than 9 points in pommel horse. In floor exercises Elkana Grønne was also in a class unto himself, and he accomplished a series of new and surprising moves. This was true also of the agility exercises, and for the last exercise of the day, parallel bars, for which he achieved 9.52 and 9.63 points, respectively. Only in horizontal bar did Elkana Grønne not get over 9 points. It had to be that way, when the exercise was not completed, but had to be ended early due to imbalance. Among other things a one-armed hand stand was missing.

[Venstre] Freddy Jensen, Hermes, i øvelse i ringe. B 22.746 [Højre] Deltagerne i jubilæumsstævnet fotograferet efter indmarchen. Fra venstre ses Bernt Vestergård, kamplederen, Elkana Grønne, Parly Jensen, Gunnar Olesen, Gunnar Petersen, Per Mose Andersen, Bjarne Jørgensen, Børge Nielsen og Freddy Jensen. B 2.314

[Left] Freddy Jensen, Hermes, ring exercise. B 22.746 [Right] The participants in the anniversary meet photographed after the entry march. From left Bernt Vestergård, the competition leader, Elkana Grønne, Parly Jensen, Gunnar Olesen, Gunnar Petersen, Per Mose Andersen, Bjarne Jørgensen, Børge Nielsen, and Freddy Jensen. B 2.314

Uheldet fik Elkana Grønne til at beslutte sig for at lave sin barre-øvelse helt om. Han syntes den virkede for billig i forhold til, hvad de øvrige gymnaster viste. Reck-øvelse blev vundet af Bjarne Jørgensen, Hermes, med 9,80 points, hvilket blev stævnets næsthøjeste karakter overhovedet. Højeste karakter opnåede Freddy Jensen, med 9,87 points i behændighedsøvelser. Hermods egne gymnaster Gunnar Pedersen, Per Mose Andersen og Bernt Vestergaard klarede sig pænt i det fornemme selskab. Gunnar Petersen tog personlig revanche over Bernt Vestergaard, der nyligt havde vundet Hermods klubmesterskab og placerede sig dermed foran to udenbys gymnaster, der netop var blevet udtaget til det danske landshold mod Sverige. Godt varslede det også, at stævnets Benjamin, Per Mose Andersen, opnåede en flot sjetteplads. Bernt Vestergaard blev nr. otte af de ni deltagende gymnaster. Hermods formand, kontorchef A. Larsen, sluttede stævnet af med at takke de deltagende gymnaster og overrække præmier til de tre bedst placerede, Elkana Grønne, Freddy Jensen og Børge Nielsen. Elkana Grønne fik endvidere overrakt en buket blomster fra Gymnastikforeningen Hermod. Senere samme måned fik Elkana Grønne en endnu større "blomst". Han blev tildelt Esbjerg Bys Idrætspris 1954.

The mishap convinced Elkana Grønne to change his horizonal bar routine completely. He thought it seemed too cheap compared to the performances of the other gymnasts. The parallel bars routine was won by Bjarne Jørgensen, Hermes, with 9.80 points, which was the second highest score at the entire meet. The highest score was achieved by Freddy Jensen, with 9.87 points in agility exercises. Hermods own gymnasts Gunnar Pedersen, Per Mose Andersen, and Bernt Vestergaard did well among the fine company. Gunnar Petersen personally regained his rank from Bernt Vestergaard, who had recently won Hermod's club championship, and thereby placed himself ahead of two out-of-town gymnasts, who had just been selected for the Danish national team against Sweden. It was also a good omen that the Benjamin of the meet, Per Mose Andersen, achieved an impressive sixth place. Bernt Vestergaard was in eight place among the nine participating gymnasts. Hermods president, office manager A. Larsen, ended the meet by thanking the participating gymnasts and present trophies to the three best placed, Elkana Grønne, Freddy Jensen, and Børge Nielsen. Elkana Grønne also received a bouquet of flowers from Hermod Gymnastics Organization. Later the same month Elkana Grønne received an even greater "flower". He was selected to receive Esbjerg Town's Athletics Prize 1954.

Elkana Grønne i øvelse på gulv. B 22.745

Elkana Grønne in floor exercises. B 22.745