Chengdu Universiade | Chinese gymnasts win 5 more golds in apparatus finals

CHENGDU, Aug. 5 (Xinhua) -- Ten gold medals were decided in the artistic gymnastics apparatus finals at the Chengdu Universiade here on Saturday, with China collecting five in rings, parallel bars, uneven bars, balance beam and women's floor exercise.

The other medals went to 19 gymnasts from nine different countries and regions in Dong'an Lake Sports Park Multi-Purpose Gymnasium.

Three rings world champions met in the final. China's 2021 world champion Lan Xingyu won the title with 15.366 points. China's Olympic champion Zou Jingyuan took the silver medal, with Turkey's 2022 world champion Adem Asil snatching the bronze.

In the parallel bars, Zou gave a nearly perfect routine with a sky-high 16.066 points. Japan's Kaito Sugimoto pocketed the silver and Kazuma Kaya, who had taken bronze in the men's all-around on Friday, followed up with another.

In the pommel horse, Chinese Taipei's Lee Chih-kai gave an outstanding performance to clinch the gold. Kazakhstan's Nariman Kurbanov took the silver medal, and Shiao Yu-jan, also of Chinese Taipei, took the bronze.

Japan's Kaya claimed gold in the men's floor exercise, followed by Kazakhstan's Milad Karimi and Ryu Sung-hyun of South Korea.

"I am happy but surprised to win the gold today. The Chengdu Universiade competitions have had a very positive influence on my future," said Kaya.

Gold in the men's vault went to Ukraine's Nazar Chepurnyi, followed by Chinese Taipei's Tseng Wei-sheng and Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan.

Karimi then secured the gold in the horizontal bar. China's Shi Cong had to settle for silver, with Sugimoto taking the bronze.

In the women's events, China's Du Siyu took gold in the uneven bars, ahead of Germany's Sophie Scheder and Du's compatriot Luo Huan.

In the balance beam, Ou Yushan and Luo made it a 1-2 for China, with Japan's Ayaka Sakaguchi rounding out the top three.

Ou won another gold in the women's floor exercise, followed by Japan's Sakaguchi and Shoko Miyata.

Miyata and Sakaguchi then made a 1-2 for Japan in the women's vault, ahead of the Czech Republic's Dominika Ponizilova.

"It's my first international event after returning to the field in years, I am very nervous, thanks to the enthusiasm of the audience which gave me more confidence," said Du.

"Competing at home, the cheers of the audience made us full of energy and passion," said Lan.