Reigning World men's pair champions Angel Felix (Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy) and Braiden McDougall (Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy) and junior men's pair Ethan Chang (Columbia, Md./Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer) and David Vonder Haar (Laurel, Md./Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer) each claimed gold at the Puurs World Cup and Flanders International Acro Cup (FIAC) in Antwerp, Belgium, over the weekend.
- Results: Qualifications | Finals
- Complete Results Book
In World Cup competition on Saturday, Felix and McDougall clinched all-around gold (29.140) ahead of Portugal's Goncalo Parreira and Miguel Lopes and Kazakhstan's Anatoliy Pakhandrin and Sanzhar Saduov, who took silver (28.730) and bronze (28.230), respectively.
The women's group of Mariam Tutberidze (Owings Mills, Md./Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer), Grace Vonder Haar (Laurel, Md./Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer) and Kayla Vonder Haar (Laurel, Md./Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer) secured bronze with a 28.720 behind Portugal's Joana Pinto, Eduarda Portela and Carolina Marquest in second with a 29.610. Mirte Vercauteren, Lauren Verbrugghe and Sofie Jaeken of host country Belgium won the competition with a 30.170.
2022 U.S. champions Mo Arthur (Rolla, Mo./Mid America Acro Tumbling) and Ariana Katsov (Owensville, Mo./Mid America Acro Tumbling) landed sixth in the women's pair final with a 24.370. Maria Marvao and Monica Lima of Portugal placed first (27.850), with Orian Yehudah and Yarin Ovadia of Israel second (27.310), and Leni Ohlsen and Laura Karczmarzyk of Germany third (27.070).
The Flanders International Acro Cup was the sister competition to the World Cup event. In the 13-19 division at FIAC, Chang and Vonder Haar posted a 24.530 to win their division. 12-18 mixed pair Hailee Wong (Colton, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy) and Andrew Castro (Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy) improved on their recent bronze at the MIAC, earning silver during mixed pair final. Their 26.740 was bested only by Portuguese athletes Lara Fernandes and Guilherme Henriques in first with a 26.800. Kazakhstan's Afina Vassilaki and Igor Shevchenko rounded out the top three with a 26.100.
The women's group of Abigail Novoseletskiy (Baltimore, Md./Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer), Cate Lacy (Columbia, Md./Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer) and Cecelia Shadrick (Ellicott City, Md./Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer) collected bronze with a 27.000 behind French athletes Mila Rose Gambier Favreau, Leeloo Gambier Favreau and Julie Tingaud in second with a 27.240. Azerbaijan's group of Nazrin Zeyniyeva, Anahita Bashiri and Zahra Rashidova were first with a 27.900.
The 12-18 women's pair of Molly Fox (San Diego, Calif./So Cal TTC) and Sydney Dorais (San Diego, Calif./So Cal TTC) notched bronze (26.700) behind Austria' Jolina Johr and Johanna Wimmer in second (27.050) and Ukraine's Mariana Punchak and Daria Naumeiko in first (27.060).
Sydney Padios (Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy) and Willow Noble (Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy) placed fourth in the the 13-19 women's pair competition with as score of 27.150, behind Belgian pair Maysae Bouhouch and Silke Macharis, who took bronze (27.350). Israel's Roni Teler and Arad Abir Doitsh secured silver (27.520), while Kazakhstan's Sofya Kardapoltseva and Malika Mankenova won gold (27.600).
In the qualifying rounds, 12-18 mixed pair Rylee Cummins (Moreno Valley, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy) and George Yeramishyn (Riverside, Calif./Realis Gymnastics Academy) were eighth all-around with a 47.600. The two 12-18 women's groups from Emilia's Acro Gymnastics and Cheer - Emilia Roder (Ellicott City, Md.), Dakota Cox (Gambrills, Md.) and Lea Williams (Columbia, Md.), and Juli Williams (Columbia, Md.), Emma Rosenhaft (Clarksburg, Md.) and Gabby Zsakany (Odenton, Md.) - scored a 50.450 and 44.590, respectively.
Acrobatic athletes will be back in action June 20-24 for the 2023 USA Gymnastics Championships in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The event will feature more than 1,600 gymnasts from across the country who look to claim national titles at the BOK Center.
More information about the competition, including ticketing, is available on the event website.