COTTBUS, Germany – Jana Bieger of Coconut Creek, Fla., won the vault gold medal at the 30th Turnier der Meister, a World Cup event held in Cottbus, Germany, as well as finished second on the balance beam and third in the uneven bars. Alexander Artemev of Lakewood, Colo., just missed the podium, finishing fourth on the pommel horse.
Bieger, the sole U.S. woman’s entrant, medaled in all three events she entered. She scored a 14.625 to win the vault, besting Uzbekistan’s Oksana Chusovitina, who was second in the vault at the 2005 World Championships, and the Czech Republic’s Jana Komrskova, who won the vault at the World Cup event in Maribor, Slovenia, at 14.475 and 14.300, respectively. On the balance beam, Russia’s Irina Isayeva won the balance beam, edging by Bieger, 14.950 to 14.875. Brazil’s Lais Souza was third at 14.850. China’s Li Ya was first in the uneven bars, followed by Isayeva with 15.150 and Bieger with 14.775. Isayeva also won the floor exercise at 14.675, ahead of Spain’ Simone de Lenika (13.825) and Souza (13.700).
Sean Golden of Camden, N.J., and Artemev, both of whom represent Team Chevron, competed on the men’s side and advanced to the finals for vault and pommel horse, respectively. Hungary’s Krisztian Berki won the pommel horse with a 15.575, followed by Germany’s Thomas Andergassen with 15.000 and Canada’s Ken Ikeda with 14.875. Artemev’s 14.650 put him in fourth. Golden finished eighth in the vault, which was won by Canada’s Brandon O’Neill (16.362). The other men’s champions were: floor exercise – Diego Hypolito, Brazil, 15.700; still rings – Yuri van Gelder, Netherlands, 16.050; parallel bars – Mitja Petkovsek, Slovenia, 16.075; and horizontal bar – Vlasis Maras, Greece, 15.725.
Women’s Results
