By Fawad Hussain
DOHA: Switzerland’s star Giulia Steingruber grabbed her second gold medal while Azerbaijan’s Oleg Stepko and Catalina Ponor of Romania also reigned supreme on the final day of Ninth FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Challenge Cup, which concluded yesterday after three days of thrilling action in Doha.
The last day of the spectacle, which also featured five finals at the iconic Aspire Dome saw Steingruber claiming top position in women’s floor to win her second gold medal in as many days.
The 24-year Swiss earned the women’s vault gold on Friday, the first day of the finals.
Yesterday, the European champion displayed another superb show and collected 14,700 points in the women’s floor to overshadow brilliance from Romania’s Bulimar Diana Laura who impressed spectators while earning 14,125 points for a silver medal.
Hungary’s Zsofia Kovacs (13,925) won bronze medal in the contest.
Oleg, a bronze medallist of the 2015 World Championships in Glasgow and gold medallist at the European Games in Baku the same year, claimed his second medal in the Qatari capital by winning the men’s parallel bars final with a total of 15,825 points, edging out Manrique Larduet of Cuba.
The high-profile gymnast also won bronze medal in men’s pommel horse on Friday.
As expected, Cuban sensation gave tough time to experienced Oleg but the 20-year-old had to be content with a silver medal after he earned 15,775 points.
But Larduet made his mark on event’s debut after an impressive run. Hung Phuoc Pham of Vietnam got bronze medals with a tally of 15,350 points.
Ponor, a triple gold medallist in 2004 Olympics Games lived up to top billing by clinching the women’s beam gold medal.
The 28-year old who scored 14650 points overcame Brazil’s Thauany Lee De Araujo (14,150) and Portuguese Lee De Araujo (13,900) following an exciting competition.
In the men’s vault final, Mingqi Huang of China secured gold medal with 15,200 points with Aussie Christopher Remkes claiming silver medal after compiling 14,950 points.
Brazil’s Diego Hypolito accumulated 14,900 points for the bronze medal.
Japan’s Fuya Maeno was victorious in men’s horizontal bars final with a tally of 15,175 points, followed by Britain’s Ashley Watson (15, 050) and Croatia’s Marijo Moznik (15850) who earned silver and bronze medals respectively. The Qatar Gymnastics Federation’s (QGF) showpiece competition, featured over 100 gymnasts representing a total of 33 countries from all over the world.
Apart from top gymnasts, dignitaries and heads of several sports bodies visited Doha during the three-day event and lauded the QGF’s efforts, saying the federation is ready to host the World Championships in Doha.
It was also a fruitful event for Qatari gymnasts who impressed during their respective competitions.
Ahmed Al Dayan reached the final of men’s pommel horse while Farah Mahmoud also showed improvement in the women’s uneven bars.
The Peninsula
