Italian
First gold on the beam for Manila Esposito in the World Cup. Fourth and fifth place for debutants July Marano and Benedetta Gava in the floor exercise
OSIJEK (CROATIA) – It seems incredible even to think about it. The blue star of artistic gymnastics Manila Esposito had never won a gold medal in the World Cup. She achieved this with a masterful performance, despite starting from the lowest score.
A final score of 13.666 (D 5.6 – E 8.066) places the Neapolitan athlete ahead of the French Elena Colas, who is second with 13.433 (D 5.9 – E 7.533), and the Chinese Zhuofan Tian, who takes the bronze medal with 13.266 (D 6.5 – E 6.766). The Italian athlete thus secures her third medal in the circuit after winning the title on vault and silver in floor exercise at the Cottbus stage of 2023.
An extremely important result that surprises precisely because of its uniqueness. At just nineteen years old, the Italian gymnast already has an Olympic bronze medal from Paris 2024 in her collection, a gold and a silver from the European Championships, and another 12 medals from World Championships, European Championships, and Cups in both individual and team competitions.
An international success that had been missing for almost a year, mainly due to a complicated period that had caused her to miss the World Championship in Jakarta.
Debutants a step away from the podium
By just one-tenth of a point in the routine, the debutant July Marano does not make it to the podium in the floor exercise. The eighteen-year-old from Sant’Agata di Militello came in second place in Q1 with 13.166 but fails to replicate that performance, stopping at a flat 13 (D 5.5 – E 7.500). Just one hundredth would have earned her even silver, given the tie at 13.100 with Canadian Lia-Monica Fontaine and French Maiana Prat.
Fifth is the other blue Benedetta Gava with 12.866 (D 5.3 – E 7.566). The athlete from Trieste confirms her qualifying score, which goes hand in hand with the seventh place in the vault on Saturday.
Photo Credits: Federginnastica.it
