DOHA: Former world champion Carlos Yulo of the Philippines claimed gold on the men’s floor with a stunning performance at the 15th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup here on Friday.
The 23-year-old Filipino tallied 14.833 to win his first gold in the World Cup Series after a disappointing start last week in the World Cup Series in Cottbus, Germany.
In the opening event of the series in the German city, Yulo could win just a bronze on the Parallel Bars. But the Filipino ace gymnast seemed to have regained his lost touch and confidence in the Qatari capital.
Kazuki Minami (JPN) and Luke Whitehouse of Great Britain won silver and bronze medals at the packed Aspire Dome.
On the Pommel Horse, Nariman Kurbanov (KAZ) won the gold. He was joined by by Ireland’s Rhys MC Clenaghan and Yu-Jan Shiao of Taipei on the podium.
China’s reigning Olympic champion Liu Yang, won the men’s Rings.
The 28-year-old tallied 15.366 ahead of Turkey’s reigning world champion Adem Asil (15.033). Nikita Simonov of Azerbaijan finished third.
Iran’s Mahdi Ahmed Kohani, who came third in Cottbus, failed to maintain his form and finished sixth.
Oksana wins bronze
Uzbekistan’s record eight-time Olympian Oksana Chusovitina lived up to her expectations after she won her back-to-back bronze medal in the women’s vault final.
The Uzbek star started where she had off last week in Cottbus event by winning bronze with 12.916 points, which was better than her qualification score of 12.899.
The 47-year-old received the loudest applause from the fans, who were regaled to an impressive landing by the veteran.
France’s Coline Devillard topped the chart with 13.800 points while Denmark’s young gymnast Camille Rasmussen finished second (13.333).
In the evening’s last WAG final, Anna Lashchevska of Ukraine picked up the gold with an accumulated score of 13.500.
Sweden’s Nathalie Westlund and Japan’s Mikako Serita finished with an identical score (13.233). But the Swede pipped her rival with a better execution score of 7.933 compared to Serita’s 7.633 to take the silver.
The MAG (Vault, Parallel Bars, Horizontal Bars) and WAG (Floor and Balance Beam) finals will be held tomorrow (Saturday) from 4pm.
