Taiwan's artistic gymnast finishes 1st in World Cup Osijek qualification

Taipei, April 12 (CNA) Artistic gymnast Tang Chia-hung (唐嘉鴻), who won an Olympic bronze medal on the horizontal bar at the 2024 Paris Games, has secured a place in the final at the 2025 World Cup Osijek with the highest score in the qualification round.

Tang finished first among 30 competitors in Croatia on Friday, earning 14.933 points, including 5.9 for difficulty -- the most difficult routine performed in the qualification round. He received 8.933 points for execution and was awarded a 0.1-point bonus on his dismount.

"I feel good overall. This 5.9-difficulty routine does not include any new elements, so it's kind of conservative. [But] this is just my first tournament in the new Olympic cycle, so I want to adjust myself first," Tang told CNA after advancing to Sunday's final.

Tang, who had not competed in any other tournaments since the Paris Games in August 2024, admitted he was "a bit nervous."

"I haven't competed for a while, so I did feel a bit nervous before performing," he said. "But I found that old feeling again once I started the routine."

Before heading to Croatia, Tang had announced his intention to debut new elements in the tournament and seek official recognition from the International Gymnastics Federation.

That plan may be delayed, however, as he revealed he is still consulting with the judges.