Shatilov, two other Israelis qualify for Euro finals

By ALLON SINAI
Alex Shatilov (photo credit: REUTERS)
Alex Shatilov
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Alex Shatilov is targeting his seventh career medal at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships on Saturday in the floor final, where he will be joined by countryman Artem Dolgopyat.
Shatilov registered a score of 14.466 points in Wednesday’s qualifiers to advance to the final in Cluj, Romania, from third place, while Dolgopyat progressed from sixth with 14.391 points.
Shatilov, who is competing in his first major event since his disappointing showing at the Rio Olympics last summer, claimed a bronze medal at the Europeans in Bern, Switzerland last year.
He had missed out on a place on the podium at the continental championships for the first time since 2008 when he finished in fourth place in Montpellier, France in 2015.
He scaled the podium in each of his previous five appearances at the championships, winning bronze medals in 2009, 2012 and 2014, a silver in 2011 and a gold in 2013. He missed the competition in 2010 through injury.
Also Wednesday, Andrey Medvedev qualified for Saturday’s vault final from eighth place with a score of 14.966.