YOKOHAMA, Japan, Sept. 17, 2017 – Maile O’Keefe of Las Vegas/Salcianu Elite Academy of Gymnastics, and Emma Malabuyo of Flower Mound, Texas/Texas Dreams Gymnastics, won the gold and silver women’s all-around medals, respectively, at the International Junior Gymnastics Competition at the Yokohama (Japan) Cultural Gymnasium. Brody Malone of Summerville, Ga./Cartersville Twisters, and Kevin Penev of Penfield, N.Y./RGA, finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the men’s all-around. Competition wraps up on Sept. 18 with the event finals.
O’Keefe claimed the junior women’s all-around title with a 56.250 total. Malabuyo’s 55.600 put her in second. China’s Chen Yile rounded out the top three (54.800). O’Keefe’s event scores were: 14.550, vault; 13.950, uneven bars; 14.450, balance beam; and 13.300, floor exercise. Event scores for Malabuyo were: 14.550, vault; 13.400, uneven bars; 13.750, beam; and 13.900, floor.
For the men, Malone posted a 78.150 for fourth, followed by Penev at 77.250. Japan’s Teppei Miwa (82.150) and Taichi Adachi (81.300) took first and second, with Great Britain’s Jake Jarman earning the bronze medal at 78.650. Malone’s event scores were: 13.550, floor; 11.950, pommel horse; 12.450, still rings; 14.450, vault; 12.550, parallel bars; and 13.200, horizontal bar. Penev had the following scores: 13.700, floor; 12.600, pommel horse; 12.450, rings; 14.100, vault; 12.450, parallel bars; and 11.950, high bar.
For event finals, the U.S. women both qualified for all four events. For the men, Malone advanced to the vault, parallel bars and high bar finals, with Penev for floor, pommel horse and vault.