Top Gymnasts eye glory in FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup
DOHA, March 21, 2018-Japanese legend Kohei Uchimura will be the centre of attraction over the next four days at the Aspire Dome, as FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup will kick-off in Doha from today.
Uchimura does not usually participate in many events outside major championships but the 10-time world gold medallist and triple Olympic champion is entered for the apparatus World Cup in Doha. Uchimura is entered for every event except for the high bar in Doha as he resumes his rivalry with world champion Xiao Ruoteng.
Chinese star Ruoteng became the first gymnast in nine years other than perennial favorite Uchimura to win a major all-around title in Montreal last year. But it was after Uchimura injured his ankle and withdrew during the qualification round. The 28-year-old Uchimura had won a six successive world all-around titles, but missed out in Montreal, Canada, following a bad fall in the second qualifying event.
With the World Championship to be held in Doha in October, Uchimura will be keen to get one over Ruoteng this weekend, as he plots his world championship gold medal back at the same venue later this year.
Men's Olympic and World Vault champion Ri Se Gwang and 7-time Olympian Oksana Chusovitina are the other star attractions. Uzbekistan's 42-year-old Chusovitina is upbeat ahead of the Doha event. “I've been preparing all-around and will be performing all-around events at all competitions and all four apparatus," Oksana said. Oksana's fans likely to watch her in all the four women's events. At 42, Chusovitina is still a bundle of energy and amazing fitness level.
At last year's edition in Doha, she beat Australia's Emily Little and Slovenia's Teja Belak – gymnasts half her age – to win the vault gold. Chusovitina already has her eye on the Asian Games in August and record-breaking eighth Olympics in Tokyo 2020. Oksana won a gold with Uzbekistan team at the 1992 Barcelona Games.
Meanwhile, Belgium's uneven bars bronze medallist Nina Derwael is among other World Championship podium finishers entered to compete.
The 17-year-old Derwael became her country's first gymnast to win a World medal when she won bronze.
Ferhat Arican, who became the first Turkish male gymnast after 108 years to compete at the 2016 Rio Olympics, is hoping for a medal in Doha. Arican won a bronze in parallel bar at the World Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan last Sunday and will be hoping for a repeat in the Doha leg. “It's a great feeling to win a medal in the first international competition of the year. I'll be going to Doha with a lot of confidence after winning a bronze in Baku," Arican said.
Arican's teammate Ibrahim Colak also had an impressive outing in Baku, where he won silver medal in rings. Colak, who won a bronze in rings at the 2015 European Games, said: “I had a mild discomfort on the knee and a neck injury almost ruled me out, but in the end I could finish second. We have bigger goals as a team this year. We will try our best to win medals."
Hosts Qatar will be represented by young gymnasts Ahmed Nabil and Jana al-Kiki, who will be taking part in the event for the second time.
The 11th edition of the World Cup is an important one for Qatar Gymnastics Federation (QGF), which will also organise the World Championships in October later his year.
The QGF is looking at this tournament as a test event for the marquee event. The QGF president and chairman of the organising committee Ali al-Hitmi said all things are in place for the championship to start.
“We are ready for the launch of the championship. The Organising Committee has completed all the arrangements for the championship and everyone is waiting for the tournament to start," al-Hitmi said.
“We're proud to host this annual event. It has strengthened Doha's position as the venue of world's top class sports tournaments," said al-Hitmi, who is also a FIG Executive Member.
The qualification rounds will be held on first two days of the championship, with eight best gymnasts making it to the finals and will strive for medals on the last two days of the competition.
Share this News
Google
Apple
Facebook