Anas leads UP sweep of boys’ all-around gymnastics medals

NEW DELHI: Allahabad’s Mohammed Anas led an Uttar Pradesh sweep of the boy’ all-around gymnastics medals in the Khelo India School Games at the IGI stadium on Tuesday. The 16-year-old finished with 66.50 points after solid efforts in floor exercises and vault helped him build insurance for a sub-par show on the parallel bars.

His school-mate Ankur Sharma, who turned in a heartwarming display on the parallel bars, claimed silver with 65.90 points to give Khelgaon Public School a one-two. Rani Revati Devi Saraswat Vidya Mandir’s Raj Yadav rode on a fine display in horizontal bar to finish with bronze, 0.50 points behind the silver medallist.

Anas made his intentions clear when he entered the arena for his first routine, the Floor exercises. He finished on top of the heap, with only Delhi’s Tushar Kalyan coming within hailing distance. Anas was second best to Maharashtra’s Manesh Sanjay on the Pommel Horse and third on the Roman Rings after UP team-mate Vaibhav Chaurasia and Uttarakhand’s Sandip Pal.

From here on, it was only a question of pushing on with intent and ensuring that he would make no mistake. A splendid effort on the Vault — 13.05 points, the best score of the morning across all apparatus — helped him breathe easy despite being aware that the Parallel Bars routine was his weakest suit. A steady effort on horizontal bar gave him a well-deserved gold.

ANAS MADE HIS INTENTIONS CLEAR WHEN HE ENTERED THE ARENA FOR HIS FIRST ROUTINE, THE FLOOR EXERCISES.

Results (final): Boys All-Around: 1. Md Anas (UP) 66.50 (Floor - 12.50; Pommel Horse 11.20; Roman rings – 10.35; Vault – 13.05; Parallel bars – 8.50; Horizontal bar – 10.90); 2. Ankur Sharma (UP) 65.90; Raj Yadav (UP) 65.40.