FIG Artistic Gymnastics Challenge Cup CIII in Doha (QAT), March 30 – April 1, 2011
The FIG Challenge Cup in Doha (QAT) closed on Friday with the second day of Apparatus Finals. The day saw China adding six medals to their record, Brazil and Australia winning two each, and Germany, Kazakhstan, Belgium, Chile and Switzerland each pocketing one for good measure.
In the Men’s competition, Brazil’s nineteen year old Sergio Sasaki Junior (16.012) outvaulted top qualifier Huang Yuguo (15.850) of China and team-mate Zou Kai (15.750) for his first ever World Cup medal.
Germany’s newcomer, Christopher Jursch, shone on Parallel Bars, taking the title with a score of 14.800 after having qualified in sixth position. Top qualifier Yermar Yerimbetov of Kazakhstan won Silver (14.700) while Chile’s Felipe Andres Pina Valenzuela settled for Bronze (14.400).
World and Olympic Champion Zou Kai (CHN) upped his Difficulty score to a record 7.7 in the Horizontal Bar Final, taking Gold (16.425) and outscoring team-mate Chen Xuezhang (15.175) and Switzerland’s Kevin Rossi (14.500).
In Women’s, Youth Olympic Champion Tan Sixin confirmed her supremacy on Balance Beam, winning the Gold with 14.550 points. Australia’s Olympian Ashleigh Brennan stepped up from place three in Qualifications to take the Silver (13.800), while Gaelle Mys of Belgium won the Bronze (13.400).
Yao Jinnan (CHN), unlucky on the beam during the Finals, atoned for her fall when she nailed her Floor routine and claimed the title (14.200). In her wake, Australia’s Ashleigh Brennan (13.300) in second and Daniele Hypolito (BRA) in third (13.250).
On Thursday, the first day of Finals for the Competition III FIG Challenge Cup currently running in Doha (QAT), Men’s and Women’s Artistic gymnasts garnered medals in a heated event.
2008 Olympic Champion Zou Kai of China fought his way back to the top on Floor, after having qualified in a mere seventh place. He won Gold (15.250), outscoring Brazil’s Sergio Sasaki Junior (14.550) and team-mate Liao Qiuhua (14.525). Zou, who is also the 2009 World Champion on Horizontal Bar, qualified in first place on this apparatus.
Prashanth Sellathurai defended Australian honours on Pommel Horse (15.950); the top qualifier defeated Slovenian Saso Bertoncelj (15.175) and Liao Qiuhua (15.050) for the title.
Ali Al Asi, who wrote history in 2010 when he brought home from Doha Jordan’s second Gold FIG World Cup medal, repeated his success this year (15.800), prevailing over China’s Liao Junlin (15.775) and Liao Quihua (15.550). The latter garnered all Bronze medals in the Men’s events on Thursday.
Brazil’s veteran Daniela Hypolito vaulted into first place during Qualifications, as well as in the Final (13.550). She beat Chilean Makarena Pinto (13.425) and Dewi Prahara (13.200), who won the first FIG medal for Indonesia. Qataris Shaden Wohdan and Aljazy Al-Habshi finished seventh and eight respectively in the Vault Final.
On Uneven Bars, Youth Olympic Champion Tan Sixin (CHN) scored a Gold medal winning 14.800, coming out ahead over Australian Larrissa Miller (13.450) and team-mate Yao Jinnan (13.350).
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