6 countries share 12 gold medals in the Individual Finals

Four gold medals for Germany, three for Switzerland and two for Israel – and the first medal ever for Denmark. In an afternoon packed with action, 12 medals were decided in the individual discipline finals at the 2024 World Championships in Almere, the Netherlands. The juniors kicked off the competition in the early afternoon, while the seniors took the floor a little later. Once again, the public was treated to a series of stunning routines in all categories.

The junior vault competition was the first medal decision of the day, with the boys and girls performing alternately. The final results showed a truly international podium: In the boys competition, Aquila Ziddah from the Netherlands took gold with a clean full twisting somersault, followed by Timon Peter from Switzerland in silver medal position. Meanwhile, Aidan Lish from team USA performed a breathtakingly high somersault to take the bronze medal. In the girl’s competition, the gold medal was secured by Israel’s Bar Dubinsky. She stuck the landing of the same complicated vault as Aquila Ziddah without any sign of doubt. Silver and Bronze went to Germany’s Mia Sophie Schmidt und Sophie Julius.

Up next were the junior spiral and straight-line competitions: The pressure and nerves in these competitions ran high, with some signs of fatigue among the athletes. However, despite a few falls and mistakes, the audience was still treated to a selection of excellent routines. The surprise of the day was the first ever medal – and a gold one at that – in international wheel gymnastics for Denmark. One of the youngest competitors in the competition, Patrick Møller from Sønderburg in Denmark, came out top in the spiral discipline, relegating Aquila Ziddah from the Netherlands and Nils Münster from Germany to the silver and bronze medal positions. At this high level of competition, even the smallest mistake can cost a podium place. In the girls’ straight-line final, positions 1-4 were separated by a a difference of 0,05 points!  Annika Wasmuth (Germany)  took Gold with 17,20 points, while Silver went to Bar Dubinsky from Israel (17,15) and Bronze to Frieda Wilke (Germany) with 17,10 points. In the end, the athletes with the strongest nerves were the ones to show their full potential: In the boys’ straight-line final, the Swiss All Around Champion Timon Peter took Gold, Jamal Kiel (Germany) Silver and Robinjo van Stokrom (Netherlands) Bronze, while the girls’ spiral final ended with Gold to Frieda Wilke (Germany), Silver to Naomi Livne (Israel) and Bronze to Hadas Nir (Israel).

After a short break it was time for the senior finals, starting with an array of highlights in the vault competition. In the men’s final, both Gold and Silver went to gymnasts who performed a double twisting backward somersault (with the highest difficulty score shown at this world championships). Ryuichi Goto from Japan won the gold medal, closely followed by Uri Porat from Israel in silver medal position, while the bronze medal went to  Gabriël Lomans from the Netherlands for his single twisting somersault. In the women’s final, Inbar Armoni from Israel delighted the crowd with her excellent one and a half twisting straight somersault forwards, which earned her the gold medal, while Ella Köhler from Germany performed a double front somersault on her 19th birthday to win the silver medal. In third position, Marjet Waldram from the Netherlands was thrilled to win a bronze medal.

In the spiral finals for the senior categories “E” difficulty elements came thick and fast. Rolls, handsprings and Cyr-inspired spinning elements in spiral secured the gymnasts a high level of difficulty while the audience were able to enjoy a great variety of high class routines. The women’s final was won by Cheyenne Rechsteiner from Switzerland, with Malena Kernacs from Austria in second place and Kira Homeyer from Germany in third. Meanwhile, there was no bronze medal in the men’s final, where Simon Rufener from Switzerland and Nicolai Ruschmeyer from Germany received identical scores to come in joint second place. Gold went to Johannes Stolper from Germany.

The final competition category and overall highlight of the World Championships were the straight-line routines to music (only performed in the senior category). Maneuvering in out of the wheel in positions which defy gravity – this is what the public saw in this last competition – from both women and men. Handstands on top of the wheel, twists and tumbling as well as dancing in the wheel. Beside the technical difficulties, the athletes charmed and flirted with the audience. Every gymnast incorporated a particular personality that was suited to the music and overall routine. We saw a wide range of styles, including a ballet dancer, a distressed girl, a strongman and a contortionist. It was a fantastic experience and pleasure to watch the finalists, the best wheel gymnasts in the world. The best men’s straight-line to music routine was performed by Simon Rufener from Switzerland, with Johannes Stolper from Germany in second place and Gabriël Lomas from the Netherlands in third – the same order as in Friday’s All Around final. In the women’s final, Kira Homeyer from Germany won Gold, followed by Cheyenne Rechsteiner from Switzerland in silver medal position and Marlena Kernacs from Austria in bronze medal position.