Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships:
Iran’s Olfati clinches historic vault gold
Mahdi Olfati wrote his name into history books of the Iranian sport by grabbing the vault gold medal at the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics Asian Championships on Sunday.
Having registered a best qualification result of 14.450 points on Thursday, Olfati scored 14.500 points in Sunday’s showdown to walk away with the ultimate prize in Jecheon, South Korea – a first gold medal for the country in 12 editions of the competition.
China’s Huang Mingqi won the silver, while reigning Olympic champion Carlos Yulo of the Philippines had to settle for the bronze medal.
This was yet another historic feat for 24-year-old Olfati, who also won a first-ever gymnastics medal for Iran at Asian Games, grabbing the men’s vault silver in Hangzhou two years ago, and was then part of the final cast of the category in last summer’s Paris Olympics.
Earlier on Sunday, Amirmohammad Rahmani scored 12.966 points to claim a prestigious silver medal in the junior rings final, with his fellow-Iranian Abolfazl Nikkhoo finishing eighth.
Siavash Siahi won a first medal for the country in Jecheon on the preceding night, clinching the bronze in the seniors’ rings event.
The Iranian scored 14.133 points at the Jecheon Gymnasium to stand behind Chinese duo Lan Xingyu and Yang Haonan.
Former world champion Lan scored 14.933 points to walk away with the ultimate prize, taking his personal tally to seven Asian golds, with Yang settling for the runner-up finish with 14.233 points.