Israeli gymnast wins bronze at European Championships

Uzbek-born Axelander Shatilov returns to the mat after disappointing show at Rio Olympics, says he’s not ready to retire

By ToI Staff 22 April 2017, 9:30 pm Edit

Bronze medal winner Alexander Shatilov of Israel performs during men floor apparatus final for the European Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Cluj Napoca, Romania April 22, 2017. (AFP/Daniel Mihailescu)

Israeli gymnast Alexander Shatilov won a bronze medal at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Romania on Saturday.

The Uzbek-born Shatilov competed on the floor apparatus exercise and finished with a score of 14.466 points, coming in behind Russia’s Dmitry Lankin with 14.466 points and Romania’s Marian Dragulescu with 14.500 points.

It was Shatilov’s fifth bronze medal and seventh overall medal in European Championships.

In last year’s Olympic Games, Shatilov failed to qualify for the finals of both the floor and horizontal bars competitions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJSniFVv0Zw

Shatilov placed eighth in the 2008 Beijing games, and sixth in the 2012 London games.

After leaving Rio last August, Shatilov told reporters that he would not retire despite his disappointing performance.

“Things didn’t go as I planned, but that happens in sport and there’s nothing I can do about it,” he said. “I can continue both physically and mentally because I saw what I’m capable of in my recent competitions and I still have a passion for the sport.”