The first Artistic Gymnastics World Cup event for the season,
held 5th March 2008
 Keatings
Takes Bronze in Doha
Amid one of the toughest Pommels final’s of any world
level competition Great Britain’s Daniel Keatings (Huntingdon)
circles through to win bronze medal with 15.650 just 0.05
points ahead of Hungary’s Kristian Berki and Romania’s
Daniel Popescu.
Some impressive displays were also shown by Australia’s
Prashanth Sellathurai who won with 16.075 and a routine that
seems to hit turbo; and by China’s Zhang Hongtao in
2nd scoring 15.950 with a rock solid no nonsense approach.
Keatings executed an improved performance from qualification
the previous day to prove he has great potential for continuing
success and Olympic promise. His triple Russian circles between
the handles seeming to float effortlessly in from one end
of the horse and out to the other.
Competing in the same final was club mate Louis Smith who
finished a highly commendable 6th place having just missed
reaching handstand with his scissor element resulting in the
move being devalued. Despite this Smith performed a classy
routine, and one which with continued work will really shine.
Smith, like Keatings at only 18 years old, is showing remarkable
consistency in his pommel work and a dependable characteristic
for “staying on” despite the varying pressure
and environment of competition. Both gymnasts are clearly
motoring along, helped in no small way by their coach Paul
Hall who is doing an excellent job shaping their development
in the pursuit of that Olympic dream.
The question is, have they a hidden reserve to come into
play and that steadfast resolve to raise the difficulty score
for that world beating routine?
Andrew Webb
Doha World Cup 2008 – Pommels Finals Results
1 Prashanth Sellathurai AUS 16.075
2 Zhang Hongtao CHI 15.950
3 Daniel Keatings GBR 15.650
4 Kristian Berki HUN 15.600
5 Daniel Popescu ROM 15.600
6 Louis Smith GBR 15.575
7 Robert Seligman CRO 15.475
8 Guo Weiyang CHI 15.075
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