In the mixed zone, all smiles, jokes and even rehearsals of interviews. The atmosphere of the junior men’s team could not be better this Thursday (14): the boys opened the Pan American Games in artistic gymnastics with team bronze medaladding 224,000 points and guaranteeing at least one Brazilian in each fixture for Saturday’s final (16).

João Victor Perdigão was the highest point for Brazil, scoring a total sum of 75,250, earning him sixth place in the all-around. The 17-year-old from Minas Gerais also qualified for the apparatus finals on parallel bars, pull-ups and rings.

Besides Perdigão, the good performances of Kayke Santos (solo), Bruno da Silva (pommel horse and vault) and Bernardo Santos (pommel horse) also ensured important finals for the selection.

In women, however, the medal did not come. In the team competition, the team finished fourth with 145,399 points, while third-placed Argentina had 146,067. In the all-around, the top-ranked Brazilian is Andreza Lima, sixth. The 15-year-old gymnast qualified for the vault, uneven bars and floor finals. Josiany Calixto, on floor, and Gabriela Barbosa, on beam, will join Andreza in the argument on the apparatus.

The USA dominate the podiums

The American team has shown that its renewal does not encounter any problems. For the women, the all-around podium was not completely painted blue, red and white due to the limit of two athletes per country. Thus, Dulcy Gray Caylor (USA) won gold, Tiana Sumanasekera (USA) silver and Isabella Ayelen Ajalla (ARG) bronze, surpassing American Alicia Dorothy Zhou by the criterion mentioned above.

In the team competition, they came first with 157,266, followed by the Canadians (146,899) and the Argentines (146,067).

On the men’s side, Frederick Nathaniel Richard won gold in the all-around and two Colombians, Angel Gabriel Barajas Vivas and Keynher Camilo Vera Carrascal, closed the podium. Among the teams, the Americans also took first place, followed by the Canadians.

Pan American Artistic Gymnastics

Tomorrow (15) the adult category will compete at Arena Carioca 1 and the winners of the all-around and apparatus will be defined. The competition will be broadcast on Canal Olímpico do Brasil and Sportv.