Stelmakh and Italian boys victorious on opening day of #EYOF2022

The first day of the European Youth Olympic Festival in Banska Bystrica (SVK) delivered fireworks as the boys competed in their qualification rounds. Also serving as all-around and team ranking, the action packed day ended in a true nailbiter.

As the last competitor in the last subdivision, Radomyr Stelmakh needed 12.400 on high bar to take the title and he did exactly that, scoring 12.450 to earn the gold medal. The 16-year-old Ukrainian posted a total score of 79.900, beating Italy’s Riccardo Villa by a mere 0.050! Switzerland’s Matteo Giubellini recovered well from a slow start on high bar to clinch the bronze medal over Great Britain’s Danny Crouch. Daniel Carrion (ESP), Jan Imhof (SUI), Reuben Ward (GBR) and Sebastian Sponevik (NOR) rounded out the top eight.

The battle for the medals in the team competition was every bit as exciting. Villa lead his teammates Tommaso Brugnami and Davide Oppizzio to a total score of 158.750 in the second subdivision. The Italians had to wait and see if any of the teams competing in the third and last subdivision could beat that score. Going into the last rotation, the British boys Crouch and Ward, joined by Oakley Banks, gave it their all, pulling up a brave fight to total 158.550. Not enough for gold but a great result for the shining silver medal! Joining Giubellini and Imhof on the Swiss team was Mirco Riva. The boys combined efforts to secure the bronze medal ahead of Spain. Germany finished 5^th, Ukraine 6^th, France 7^th and Austria 8^th.

 

Results

All-around

GOLD Radomyr Stelmakh (UKR) 79.900

SILVER Riccardo Villa (ITA) 79.850

BRONZE Matteo Giubellini (SUI) 79.500

Team

GOLD Italy 158.750

SILVER Great Britain 158.550

BRONZE Switzerland 158.200

Congratulations!