Lefteris Petounias qualifies for rings final at World Gymnastics Championships

Greek gymnast Lefteris Petounias has secured his eighth appearance in a world championship final, qualifying for the rings final at the World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam. After a tense qualification period, Petounias finished in eighth place with a score of 14.033, consisting of 5.700 in difficulty and 8.333 in execution.

Despite a landing error during his routine on Saturday, Petounias maintained a high enough standing to hold onto the final qualifying spot after the remaining groups completed their performances on Sunday. He narrowly avoided being overtaken by Nikita Simonov, who finished as the first reserve.

The 36-year-old champion, often referred to as the ‘lord of the rings’, will compete in the final on Saturday, October 24. He is aiming for his fifth career world championship medal, having previously won three gold medals (2015, 2017, 2018) and one silver (2023).