Joscelyn Roberson (World Champions Centre) competes on floor during the 2023 Winter Cup. (© Amy Sanderson)
Joscelyn Roberson was the standout of the U.S. contingent at the Cairo World Cup this weekend, winning three medals, two of them gold.
Originally tweeted by USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) on April 29, 2023.
The World Champions Centre gymnast won vault (13.980 average) and floor (13.700) at the International Gymnastics Federation’s (FIG) apparatus world cup series finale, which took place April 27-30 in the Egyptian capital. She also tacked on a silver on beam (13.230).
On vault, the Arkansas commit earned a 14.030 for her roundoff half on, front full off and followed with a 13.930 for a strong double-twisting Yurchenko.
On floor, she displayed exceptional difficulty in all four of her passes: a Moors (laid-out double-double), a practically stuck Chusovitina (full-twisting double layout), a front full through to double back, and a double pike, earning a 13.700.
Roberson has been compared to Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson on beam and improved on her qualifying score to earn a 13.230 on the apparatus and win silver behind Italy’s Giorgia Villa.
Joscelyn Roberson | Floor Exercise Final | 2023 Cairo World Cup
Originally tweeted by USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) on April 30, 2023.
Joscelyn Roberson | Balance Beam Final | 2023 Cairo World Cup
Originally tweeted by USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) on April 30, 2023.
Italy’s Alice D’Amato was tops on bars, where she earned a 14.630. She was followed by her teammate, Villa, who won silver with a 14.200.
Ukraine’s Illia Kovtun dominated the men’s competition, winning gold on floor (14.430), parallel bars (14.830), and high bar (14.100), as well as a bronze on pommel horse (14.570).
At just 19 years old, Kovtun, who has been dubbed Ukraine’s “Golden Boy”, showed off his technical mastery on high bar, displaying a Yamawaki, triple Tkatchev series, hop full, and a double-twisting double layout.
Illia Kovtun | Floor Exercise Final | 2023 Cairo World Cup
Illia Kovtun | High Bar Final | 2023 Cairo World Cup
Illia Kovtun | Parallel Bars Final | 2023 Cairo World Cup
Originally tweeted by Sarah (@SarahZi1998) on April 29, 2023.
Chinese Taipei’s Lee Chih Kai won pommel horse – his signature event – with a 15.030. Azerbaijan’s Nikita Simonov won rings with a 14.970. Reigning world vault champion Artur Davtyan was supreme on his trademark event with scores of 15.070 and 15.270 averaging to a 15.170 and the win.
The U.S. men were represented by Ian Skirkey, Kameron Nelson, and Donnell Whittenburg.
Skirkey finished fifth on pommel horse (14.270), Nelson was fifth on vault (14.070 average) and eighth eighth on floor (11.800), and Whittenburg did not qualify to any finals.
The conclusion of the FIG apparatus world cup series marks a critical point for individuals hoping to qualify to worlds. The top eight gymnasts with the highest three-meet point total on each event will earn bids to worlds if their nation does not earn team or individual all-around berths via continental championships. If that does happen, their world cup spots will be reallocated to the next eligible competitor. Bids will be finalized after continental championships.
The winners of each apparatus for the women following the conclusion of the series are as follows:
- Vault: Oksana Chusovitina (UZB)
- Uneven bars: Alice D’Amato (ITA)
- Balance beam: Giorgia Villa (ITA)
- Floor exercise: Alice D’Amato (ITA)
The winners of each apparatus for the men following the conclusion of the series are as follows:
- Floor exercise: Illia Kovtun (UKR)
- Pommel horse: Nariman Kurbanov (KAZ)
- Still rings: Nikita Simonov (AZE)
- Vault: Artur Davtyan (ARM)
- Parallel bars: Illia Kovtun (UKR)
- High bar: Illia Kovtun (UKR)
These standings are courtesy of The Gymternet.
