Winner. Shatilov
צילום: AFP
Israeli gymnast wins bronze in European championships
Artistic gymnast Alexander Shatilov becomes first Israeli gymnast in his field to grace European podium
Artistic gymnast Alexander Shatilov made history Sunday by becoming the first Israeli gymnast to ever win a European Artistic Gymnastics Senior Championship medal, taking the bronze.
Two-time world championship and Beijing Olympics contender, the 22-year-old took third place in the floor routine competition in the Milan held championship, scoring 15.350 points.
Making history. Shatilov (Photo: AFP)
"This was a tough competition," said the new medalist. "All of gymnasts preformed their best routine. The difference between first place and third place was one-tenth of a point, which goes to show the level of competition.
"I'm very happy," he added. "This is a Passover present for Israel."
"I'm delighted, Alex gave a great performance," said his coach Sergei Weissburg. "This medal is good for him, for gymnastics and for Israel. It proves the progress we see in the field. This is a badge of honor for the association and for the state."
As for the London Olympic Games in 2012, Shatilov says he has time, but is well aware of the expectations of him. "My first priority right now is this year's world championships," he said.
