Gymnastics World Cup Launches in Doha

17th Artistic Gymnastics World Cup Kicks Off with Thrilling Performances in Doha

The 17th edition of the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup began yesterday at the Aspire Dome in Doha, showcasing thrilling performances from athletes around the globe.

As anticipated, the four-day championship opened with a high level of energy and competition. The qualification rounds, held over the first two days, started with five apparatus events: three for men—floor exercise (16 competitors), pommel horse (21), and still rings (13)—and two for women—vault and uneven bars, each featuring 12 participants.

The qualification rounds will continue today with contests on the remaining five apparatus. Male gymnasts will compete in vault, parallel bars, and horizontal bar, while female gymnasts will take on the balance beam and floor exercise. The top eight gymnasts in each event will qualify for the finals, scheduled to take place on April 18 and 19.

This year’s World Cup has attracted a strong lineup of international talent. Among the standout athletes are Armenia’s Karbanov, a silver medalist on pommel horse at the Paris Olympics; Kazakhstan’s Kabanov, who earned silver in the Olympic vault; and Tong Hong of Chinese Taipei, bronze medalist on the horizontal bar in Paris. China’s Ashaw Yaqian, the silver medalist on balance beam, is also competing, along with Jordan’s Ahmad Abu Al-Saud, who is participating in the pommel horse event.

Andrew Tumbas, Chair of the FIG Men’s Technical Committee, praised the event’s outstanding organization. Speaking on the opening day, he applauded Qatar’s ability to host world-class events, noting the excellence of the competition venue, training areas, accommodation, and logistics. He added that the championship had started with great intensity, with athletes competing at their best in pursuit of Olympic qualification. He expects the level of performance to climb even higher during the finals.

Donatella Sacchi, Chair of the FIG Women’s Technical Committee, also commended the event, particularly the high standard of organization and the professional environment. She highlighted the crowd’s enthusiasm, which brought an electric energy to the competition and underscored the rising popularity of gymnastics in the region.

Nasser Al Hamad, the championship’s Technical Director, confirmed that the competition has been intense from the outset. He pointed out the exciting mix of established athletes and emerging talent, calling it a sign of positive growth in the sport. He also expressed pride in the technical quality of the event and shared his hope that this edition will be remembered as one of the most successful in World Cup history.