2019 Koper World Challenge Cup

Zsofia Kovacs Shines At Koper World Challenge Cup With Two Golds

Zsofia Kovacs Shines At Koper World Challenge Cup With Two Golds

Hungary's Zsofia Kovacs dominated the Koper World Challenge Cup, winning the uneven bars and balance beam titles.

Jun 3, 2019 by Amanda Wijangco
Zsofia Kovacs Shines At Koper World Challenge Cup With Two Golds

Zsofia Kovacs was listed as a gymnast to watch at the Koper World Challenge Cup, and she delivered, winning gold on uneven bars and balance beam. 

Kovacs competed in the bars final on June 1 and hit a good routine for a 14.000. Her routine included a piked Tkatchev to Pak salto, a van Leeuwen, and a double-tuck dismount. She competed in the beam final a day later and won with a 13.200. On beam, she hit a tricky double turn and sealed the victory with a stuck double-tuck dismount 

Rounding out the uneven bars podium were Austria's Jasmin Mader and Belarus's Aliaksandra Varabyova with silver and bronze, respectively. On beam, Switzerland's Ilaria Kaeslin won silver and Egypt's Farah Hussein took bronze. 


Kovacs wasn't the only women's double medalist in Koper as Kaeslin also medaled on floor exercise, winning the event with a 12.950. Her tumbling passes included a double twist and a double pike. Finishing in second and third, respectively, on floor were Romania's Ana-Maria Puiu and Slovenia's Adela Sajn. 

Sajn's fellow Slovenian national team member Teja Belak also won a medal in front of a home crowd, as Belak won silver on vault behind Azerbaijan's Marina Nekrasova and ahead of Chile's Franchesca Santi.

Azerbaijan also medaled on the men's side as Nikita Simonov won rings ahead of Egypt's Ali Zahran and Italy's Salvatore Maresca. Ireland's Rhys McClenaghan won pommel horse while Kazakhstan's Ilyas Azizov earned silver and Israel's Alexander Myakinin got bronze. 

Myankinin received another bronze on high bar with Turkey's Umit Samiloglu winning the title ahead of silver medalist Frank Baines from Great Britain. Baines was victorious on parallel bars, though, earning the gold ahead of Kazakhstan's Milad Karimi and Cypress's Ilias Georgiou. 


Chile's Tomas Gonzalezanother gymnast to watch at this meet, was triumphant on floor after his higher execution score broke a tie with Karimi as both earned a 14.600. Gonzalez's floor routine included a front double pike 1/2 out and a front full to front double tuck. 

Croatia's Aurel Benovic earned the bronze for men's floor. On the other power event, Hong Kong's Shek Wai Hung won the vault title ahead of Belarus' Yahor Sharamko and Israel's Andrey Medvedev.