The 2014 Anadia World Challenge Cup, part of the annual FIG World Cup series, wrapped up on Sunday June 1st in Portugal. This competition, set in a small, intimate arena, awards individual apparatus medals but does not include an all-around portion. Attendance was somewhat lower this year than in previous years because the event directly followed the 2014 European Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria. Nonetheless, there were several former World and Olympic competitors present in addition to many newer faces on the international scene.

Team USA dominated the men’s competition by winning seven medals, four of which were gold. Sam Mikulak, who already has some big wins under his belt this season (including the AT&T American Cup title and team and individual AA at NCAA Championships), competed in Anadia for the second time. He added to his two medals from 2013 (gold on high bar, bronze on floor) by earning another gold on high bar, bronze on parallel bars, and silver on floor. Teammate Eddie Penev was also competing in Anadia for the second time and brought home a pair of gold medals on floor and vault. Lastly, Alex Naddour added to the USA’s collection with a gold on pommel horse and a silver on rings. For the US men, this competition served as a great benchmark to measure themselves against the international field and show their readiness as they vie for spots on the 2014 World Championship team this fall.
 

There were several other impressive performances on the men’s side, including the Dominican Republic’s Audrys Nin Reyes’ silver medal on vault. Her performed a big Dragulescu and a Tsuk 2½ twist to score a 15.025. On the rings, 2012 Olympic champion Arthur Zanetti (BRA) proved his strength yet again with an impressive 15.700 (6.7 D-score) to win the gold.

On the women’s side, Venezuela’s Jessica Lopez showed grace and elegance as she won the bars and beam titles by wide margins over the rest of the field. Host-country Portugal’s Ana Filipa Martins (POR) also had a strong showing, competing in all four event finals and taking bronze on vault, silver on bars, and gold on floor. Slovenia’s Teja Belak set herself apart from the rest of the field on vault when she took the title with a 14.112 (a 0.5-point lead over the silver medalist Elisa Haemmerle). She also claimed silver on balance beam with a 13.150.