Team Bronze for Men at 2018 Commonwealth Games
Scotland’s men’s artistic gymnasts have won team bronze on the first day of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
It was a challenging day for the Scots who were chasing for a podium place throughout, but when Kelvin Cham was forced to withdraw from the competition, they stayed strong and every member of the team competed hard and contributed to their success.
How it happened
Dan Purvis opened Scotland’s Commonwealth Games gymnastics campaign by opening the first rotation of subdivision three on the pommel horse in the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre. The team captain scored 12.225. Kelvin Cham followed but one restart in an otherwise solid routine, left him with a score 10.900.
Hamish Carter’s turn was clean and assured, and it may have been due to relief, but he broke out into his trademark smile at the end of his first Games appearance, adding a curt nod of approval when his score of 13.250 came in.
Frank Baines went for it in his routine, but he didn’t manage to execute a difficult element which threw his momentum and forced a restart, a costly mistake earning a 11.700.
Kelvin was first to step up in rotation two on the rings. A clean routine but he just landed a little short which seemed to cause him ankle pain and he was helped off after earning 11.700. Hamish’s clean routine produced a score of 12.800 for the team. Frank followed with 12.625 before Dan then stepped up with a confident, strong performance to finish Scotland’s second rotation with a 13.550.
Next up, it was the vault and a fantastic opening from Hamish who landed two clean vaults at 14.100. It was a positive score while we were hearing Kelvin had to leave the arena for further medical attention, reducing the team to four, and sadly signifying the end of his first Commonwealth Games.
Step up David Weir to make his Games debut, flipping on to the vault. A little step out at the end, but he scored an excellent 13.950 on his first piece of apparatus. Frank added to that, with his high execution score of 9.300 earning him 14.100. However, Dan couldn’t match that and in trying to land his difficult vault, a fall dented his score, which was 13.100.
David was first on the parallel bars, stepping up when he needed to give the team a boost, and a well-executed, steady performance earned 12.850. Hamish was smooth and controlled and added 13.700 to the team score. Then Dan the man, with one of the best dismounts of the event at that point scored 13.550. His Southport teammate Frank followed with a stylish performance and landed a double front somersault to end the rotation with a tremendous 14.050.
At this point the Scots were lying in fifth place in the team event, with Hamish sixth in the all-around, and Frank and Dan in 11th and 12th respectively. The English gymnasts were dominating, with the top three individual positions contributing to their team’s first place.
Next up, it was the high bar. And another solid start to Scotland’s rotation from City of Glasgow’s David Weir with 12.700. Dan, was next up with 12.950 and Hamish added to his impressive tally, earning 13.250. Frank’s classy performance finished the rotation with a slightly safer routine than normal, playing to his strengths and the team element of the event, to secure a 13.800.
A huge effort was needed on the last piece of apparatus with Cyprus sitting in third place, watching and waiting, poised to make history by winning a medal. They were sitting on 201.125, Scotland on 199.125. The floor was going to be crucial. Scotland were fighting for the bronze.
So, what could David do, given the pressure the team were under, having lost Kelvin and chasing a podium place? A great start, but he just went a little long on his second tumbling sequence, putting one wee foot out which earned him a penalty. But in working the floor well, his exciting tumbling earned him a strong 13.400.
Dan produced a fantastic performance to own the floor, just when Scotland needed it. The Cypriots looked anxious. And so they should, as Dan’s score of 13.850 flashed up.
A focussed Hamish showed he has strength as well as suppleness, finishing on a super triple twist to great applause, doing himself, his team and country proud in his first Commonwealth Games. He earned a fantastic 14.270.
Could Frank finish off in style? He was crowned senior men’s floor champion at the British Championships, with a stunning 14.800 which beat Max Whitlock into second place. His tumbling was clean, not a foot wrong, finishing on a double Arabian. Then there were hugs all round between the team, including Kelvin who had returned to the arena to see the final results unfold. We waited for the score while Whitlock worked the pommel horse to end the team event. Frank earned 13.275, somewhat short of his best.
It was enough to see Scotland swoop into third and scoop the bronze away from Cyprus. The score was 240.975, compared to the Cypriots’ 239.975. The second half of the competition was always going to be stronger for the Scots, and they held their nerve to perform well and earn their podium place.
The team event was won by an on-fire England team (258.950), with Canada winning silver (248.650).
Their individual performances earned places in the finals:
All-around: Hamish and Frank
Floor: Hamish and Dan
High bar: Frank and Hamish
Parallel Bars: Frank
Rings: Dan
Congratulations captain Dan and Frank, Hamish, David and Kelvin -Commonwealth Games bronze medallists!
> Read what they said after winning team bronze
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