Basel (Switzerland) (AFP)

After handily winning the all-around on Friday, Russian Nikita Nagornyy continued his harvest on Saturday by pocketing three medals, gold on floor, silver on pommel and rings, during the European Gymnastics Championships in Basel (Swiss).

Among women, Angelina Melnikova took first place on uneven bars (14.500 points), ahead of another Russian Vladislava Urazova (14.333 points).

Since the start of these championships on Wednesday and three months before the Tokyo Olympics, the Russians have been putting on a show, despite the closed doors of the St. Jakobshalle.

Reigning world and European champion Nagornyy, 24, again impressed on the ground with an unprecedented figure, already achieved in qualifying this week: a triple pike back salto earned him the score of 15.166 points, ahead of the Swiss Benjamin Gischard (14.966 points).

The Russian, who now has eight European titles to his name, also won silver on the rings without being able to beat the lord of the discipline, the Greek Eleftherios Petrounias.

Winner with the score of 15.400 points, it should logically go to Tokyo but the reigning Olympic champion has not yet qualified.

The fault of the multiple canceled competitions, which made the selection system even more complex.

Petrounias ruled the rings for several years, before a heavy operation in 2018. He still has a chance to secure his Olympic ticket at a World Cup round in Doha in June, if it is maintained.

- Confident Petrounias -

"I am confident that I will get the score I need to qualify and get the ticket to Tokyo," he said after his victory on a video conference.

The French Samir Aït-Saït, specialist of the rings, and who is qualified for him for the Olympics, did not compete this week because of "a pain in the biceps" on which not much has filtered.

"He deserves to go to Tokyo, he's already had a lot of injuries," commented Petrounias.

The Frenchman broke his leg at the Rio Olympics in 2016 (tibia fibula) upon receiving a jump in qualifying.

Four years earlier, a knee injury three months before the London Games had deprived him of it.

On pommel horse, Nagornyy was beaten by Armenian Artur Davtyan (14.266 points for both, but better execution for Davtyan).

Briton Joe Fraser completes the podium (14.066 points).

The German Elisabeth Seitz, who had put on a wetsuit for the all-around final "to feel good" on Friday, appeared at the bars final on Saturday with her traditional leotard.

In vaulting, the Swiss Giulia Steingruber won the final with 14.824 points, ahead of the Briton Jessica Gadirova (14.466).

Sunday will be the beam and floor finals for the women, and the parallel bars, horizontal bar and vault for the men.

The French Mélanie De Jesus Dos Santos, triple European champion, is expected on the beam, as is Marine Boyer.

On vault, the French Loris Frasca, qualified for the Olympics, will try to pull out of the game.

© 2021 AFP