Germany’s Sophie Scheder earned the first International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup victory of her career by claiming the women’s all-round title in front of a home crowd at the Porsche-Arena in Stuttgart.
The 19-year-old, winner of the European Games silver of the uneven bars last year, showed her skill on the apparatus again by posting the highest score 15,033 points.
With Russia’s Seda Tutkhalian finishing second on the discipline on 14.433, Scheder built a strong cushion over her main rivals for the title.
The German backed up her performance in her strongest event, placing third in the vault by achieving a score of 14.066 points behind the United States’ Amelia Hundley and fellow German Pauline Schaefer.
Hundley topped the vault standings, scoring 14.933.
On the beam, Russia’s Tutkhalian achieved the highest score of 14.800 points, Scheder extending her overall lead by finishing second on 14.433.
Her high scoring performances in the opening three events meant that a lowly fifth place in the floor could not prevent the home favourite claiming the all-round title on 57.032 points.
“It’s amazing,” Scheder said.
“It’s so cool that it worked, it was a great competition.”
Canada’s Isabela Onyhsko consistency proved key to her claiming the silver medal with 56.665 points, despite failing to top the standings in any discipline.
Hundley, who had topped the floor standings with 14.000, eventually settled for the bronze medal having achieved a final score of 56.499 points.
Competition is due to continue in Stuttgart tomorrow with the men’s all-round event.
- By Michael Pavitt
- Republished with permission insidethegames.biz