sports

The artistic gymnastics competition of the National Championships has come to a close.

The contest brought together more than 70 players from different sports clubs including the April 25 Sports Team, the Pyongyang Sports Club and the Hamhung Woolen Textile Mill Sports Club.

The male and female team events, the general individual event and the apparatus event were held respectively for two days. 

The Pyongyang Sports Club took the first place in the men’s team event and the April 25 Sports Team in the women’s team event, while Kim Song Ryong of the April 25 Sports Team won the men’s general individual event and Jo Kyong Byol of the Pyongyang Sports Club the women’s general individual event. 

An Chang Ok of the April 25 Sports Team won the women’s vaulting horse and uneven bars of the apparatus event.

She had earned gold medals at the artistic gymnastics of the 19th Asian Games and the apparatus event of the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup, and demonstrated her abilities as one of the top ten players of the DPRK in 2023.

Players from the Kigwancha and Pyongyang sports clubs respectively won the women’s balance beam and floor exercises of the apparatus event.

And in the men’s vault of the apparatus event, Han Kum Song from the Hamhung Woolen Textile Mill Sports Club, a dark horse in the country, drew attention of experts and spectators.

Everyone lavished praise on his extraordinary fortitude, spiritual strength and excellent skills. 

He overpowered his opponent Pak U Chol from the April 25 Sports Team, who was an odds-on favourite, by performing every movement splendidly despite his leg injury, thus taking the first place. 

The first places of the men’s pommel horse, rings and horizontal bar exercises of the apparatus event were taken by gymnasts of the Pyongyang Sports Club and that of the floor exercise by a player from the April 25 Sports Team.

Spectators felt regret at the results of some players in the recent games. 

An Chang Ok from the April 25 Sports Team finished runner-up in the women’s general individual event due to a slight injury and Choe Wi Song from the Pyongyang Sports Club, who has a remarkable forte, also came second in the men’s horizontal bar as he erred in the landing.