Keikha misses gold, but wins heart
AGU Media, DOHA (QAT): Iran’s Saeedreza Keikha, who made history for his country when his first unique element on Pommel Horse was named “The Keikha” in his honour, finished second at the recently-held Toyota International Gymnastics in Japan.
Keikha, the only Iranian in the prestigious competition, won a silver with 14.275 points.
The 29-year-old performed a variation, now known as “Keikha 2, on the traditional flair on Pommel Horse at Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku, Azerbaijan, in May.
In the same division, Japan’s 19-year-old Takaaki Sugino won the gold (14.850) followed by 2013 world champion Kohei Kameyama (14.025).
Keikha had raised the country’s profile in the sport when he won a bronze at the Baku FIG World Challenge Cup in February followed by another third-place finish at the Asian Artistic Championships in Bangkok, Thailand in May.
