Granted, it wasn't the World Championships, but the Chinese men's performance at this weekend's World Cup event in São João da Madeira, Portugal should go a good way's toward dispelling doubt that the reigning Olympic team champion's national program is really in jeopardy.
New national champion Feng Zhe took the top spots on parallel bars (15.7) and high bar (15.25), while Guo Weiyang was champion on pommel horse (15.2) and Olympic star Chen Yibing won rings (15.575). Sure, a Yang Wei-caliber all-around gymnast hasn't appeared out of China yet this quad.
But it seems like every man in contention for an all-around medal who isn't World champ Kohei Uchimura is competing with some weakness. (Even Uchimura, despite his exceptional form and wonderful technique, has unlikely moments on pommel horse).
In addition, Liao Junlin and Guo won silvers on rings (15.225) and parallel bars (15.375), respectively. Koczi also finished second on pommel horse (14.825).
Romanian supertwister Flavius Koczi, whose floor routine includes a 3.5 twist done in combination as a side pass, won floor (15.4) and vault (16.175), both wins coming over Diego Hypolito, who celebrated his 24th birthday this weekend. Hypolito tallied 16.162 on vault and 15.325 on floor.
The Spanish men came through with a silver and three bronzes for the home country. The silver came on high bar (15.05) from Rafael Martinez, who also finished third on pommel horse (14.7). Ivan San Miguel added a bronzes on vault (15.95) and rings (15.2).
Martinez was followed on high bar by Slovakia's Samuel Piasecky (14.9), and Colmbia's Jorge Hugo Giraldo finished third on parallel bars (14.975).
Israel's Alexander Shatilov, who sustained a knee injury at the French International earlier this year and missed the European Championships as a result, competed only on pommel horse, where he finished fourth (14.35).
The Portugal World Cup was also a resurgence for Daniele Hypolito, 25, whose last medal in a World Cup competition came in Sao Paulo in 2006 when she won silver on beam. Hypolito, who underwent liposuction to remove some unwanted fat in 2009, won vault (13.962) and floor (13.575) and added a bronze on bars (13.275).
Venezuelan star Jessica Lopez, who has made a solid impression at several world cup events already this season, shared the floor title with Hypolito, won gold in her own right on uneven bars (13.7) and bronzes on vault (13.562) and beam (13.45).
The biggest surprise of the meet was Vietnam's Phan Thi Ha Thanh, who made history for her country with silver medals on vault (13.762) and floor (13.475). Vietnam has never won a World Cup medal in gymnastics.
Colombia's Natalia Sanchez won beam (14.025), completing a South American sweep of the women's medals. Sanchez also finished second on bars (13.375).
Great Britain's Hannah Whelan was the only European woman to medal in Portugal. The 2008 Olympian picked up bronze on floor (13.4).
Follow Gymnastics Examiner Blythe Lawrence on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GymExaminer or click the "Subscribe" button above to receive the latest gymnastics news and results via e-mail.
Comments
Daniele Hypolito last world cup medal was a silver on beam, not vault.
I'm a regular reader of Gymnastics Examiner via The Gymblog. I'm glad to contribute to this great gymnastics blog.
Thanks.
I was about to say the same... the last medal for hypolito was beam on the world cup final 2006. I´m so glad foi the good phase she´s going through. I wonder if anyone can post more videos of this competition, since I only found women´s vault and men´s floor.
Congratulations for your blog.
Thanks for the correction, Lucas and Igor. Fixed! I'll look for some videos. -- Blythe
Got something to say?
Examiner.com is looking for writers, photographers, and videographers to join the fastest growing group of local insiders. If you are interested in growing your online rep apply to be an Examiner today!