Turkey twice golden as Men’s Europeans conclude

On the last day of these Men’s European Championships, 6 different gymnasts from 5 nations were crowned European Champion! An apparatus final with many ‘firsts’, new countries on the podium and delighted faces all around.

 

Dolgopyat clinches floor gold

Silver medallist on floor at the last two European and World Championships, Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat performed a fabulous exercise that left him a margin of 4 tenths of point for his first European title. The battle for silver was won by Croatia’s Aurel Benovic as he overtook Belarus’ Yahor Sharamkou who opened with a sky-high triple tuck.

GOLD Artem Dolgopyat (ISR) 15.000

SILVER Aurel Benovic (CRO) 14.600

BRONZE Yahor Sharamkou (BLR) 14.533

Petrov’s comeback

Former Russian national team member Matvei Petrov found a new home in Prague, a new country to compete for and a second life in gymnastics. First up in the pommel horse final, Petrov performed the most difficult routine and setting the mark to beat for the others. Croatia’s Filip Ude came within 0.04 but could not surpass Petrov’s score. Ferhat Arican beat the second Croatian Robert Seligman by another tiny margin for the bronze medal.

GOLD Matvei Petrov (ALB) 14.566

SILVER Filip Ude (CRO) 14.533

BRONZE Ferhat Arican (TUR) 14.433

Colak continues to write history

As the first Turkish gymnast to win a World title, the pressure was on Ibrahim Colak’s shoulders. With a 9.000 for execution, he posted a total score of 15.000 on rings and became Turkey’s first ever European Champion! 2014 junior European Champion Vinzenz Hoeck clinched Austria’s first medal, a silver, ahead of 2013 European Champion Igor Radivilov.

GOLD Ibrahim Colak (TUR) 15.000

SILVER Vinzenz Hoeck (AUT) 14.800

BRONZE Igor Radivilov (UKR) 14.766

Gold at last for Radivilov on vault

After four silver medals on vault at Europeans Championships (2012, 2014, 2015 and 2018), Igor Radivilov (UKR) finally hit the jackpot. With two strong and difficult vaults, he narrowly edged Yahor Sharamkou (BLR) for his second European title, the first on this apparatus. Artem Dolgopyat claimed the bronze medal ahead of Romanian star Marian Dragulescu whose first vault got downgraded but stuck his signature skill cold.

GOLD Igor Radivilov (UKR) 14.733

SILVER Yahor Sharamkou (BLR) 14.700

BRONZE Artem Dolgopyat (ISR) 14.483

The Turkish anthem sounds again

The bronze medallist from 2019, Ferhat Arican competed by far the most difficult routine in the parallel bars final, beaming with pleasure after his dismount. With 15.100 he cruised to victory so the Turkish anthem was heard again in Mersin’s Gymnastics Hall. Ukraine’s Petro Pakhniuk took silver, the same medal colour as last year while Robert Tvorogal claimed the bronze ahead of Ibrahim Colak.

GOLD Ferhat Arican (TUR) 15.100

SILVER Petro Pakhniuk (UKR) 14.766

BRONZE Robert Tvorogal (LTU) 14.500

When the European Games Champion becomes the European Champion

2019 European Games Champion Robert Tvorogal had the loud support of his entire delegation as they screamed him on throughout his high bar exercise. When the score 14.800 flashed, celebrations erupted. 2017 World Champion Tin Srbic (CRO) takes silver again, like last year. Israel’s Alexander Myakinin bumped Turkey’s Abdelrahman Elgamal off the podium for his first European medal.

GOLD Robert Tvorogal (LTU) 14.800

SILVER Tin Srbic (CRO) 14.600

BRONZE Alexander Myakinin (ISR) 14.200