Despite limited preparations due to injury, Sharul remains in contention for two medals

Grit on display: Sharul Aimy in action during the men’s vault qualification. – Reuters

 

PETALING JAYA: A nagging knee injury that disrupted his preparations just two weeks before the Commonwealth Games failed to stop national artistic gymnast Sharul Aimy from booking his place in two finals in Glasgow.

Sharul finished fifth out of 43 gymnasts in the men’s floor exercise qualification with a score of 13.250 to make the eight-man final schedule tomorrow at the Arena.

He also qualified for the vault final after placing fourth out of 14 competitors with an average of 13.725 from his two attempts (13.750 and 13.700). The final will be on Tuesday.

He missed out on a third final, finishing 19th out of 45 gymnasts in the pommel horse with a score of 12.100.

Sharul admitted the injury had left him under considerable pressure heading into the Games.

“I was under pressure because I could not train properly due to the injury, and with the Commonwealth Games coming up, that added to the worry because I wanted to compete in this Games,” said the 25-year-old athlete.

“But on competition day, I went all out and I am so happy with what I have done. Next up is doing my best in both the finals.”

It was a more difficult outing for compatriot Ng Chun Chen, who failed to qualify for any final on Friday.

The 23-year-old finished 16th out of 43 in the men’s parallel bars with a score of 12.850, and 15th out of 45 in the pommel horse with 12.400.

He struggled further in the vault, scoring 0.00 on his first attempt and not completing a second, leaving him without a ranked finish in the event.

“I felt weird as to why it happened that way, even though I prepared so well and felt good and composed.

“I was lost for words when I did not fare well in the vault,” said Chun Chen.

QUALIFICATION RESULTS

Men

Vault: 1. Felix Dolci (Can) 14.100, 2. Luke Whitehouse (Eng) 14.000, 3. James Hardy (Aus) 13.775. Selected: 4. Mohd Sharul Aimy 13.725, DNF. Ng Chun Chen.

Floor exercise: 1. Luke Whitehouse (Eng) 14.400 pts, 2. Felix Dolci (Can) 13.700, 3. Rene Cournoyer (Can) 13.500. Selected: 5. Mohd Sharul Aimy 13.250.

Pommel horse: 1. Reuben Ward (Sco) 14.550, 2. Jordan Carroll (Can) 14.550, 3. Rhys McClenaghan (Nir) 14.500. Selected: 15. Ng Chun Chen 12.400, 19. Mohd Sharul Aimy 12.100.

Parallel bar: 1. Alexander Yolshin-Cash (Eng) 14.100, 2. Marios Georgiou (Cyp) 13.800, 3. Adam Tobin (Eng) 13.700. Selected: 16. Ng Chun Chen 12.850.