Program director

FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World: A couple of Indian gymnasts stand a good chance of qualifying for the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris in July-September this year and Steve Bucher, Program Director, of the high-performance centre in Bhubaneswar, feels the upcoming Asian Championships in May will be very crucial for them.

The Olympic qualification programme for Artistic Gymnastics includes participants doing well in three World Cup events and the Continental Championship. Gymnasts topping the list in the three World Cups in their respective disciplines and those winning medals in the Continental Championships stand a chance of making it to Paris.

Top Indian gymnast, Pranati Nayak won a bronze medal in the first FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup 2024 in Cairo a few days back while compatriot Dipa Karmakar finished fifth in the same event. Both will now be participating in the next two events on the World Cup circuit, and the 11th Senior Asian Championships to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, from May 24-26.