Offord wins gold at 2010 Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships

Sam Offord performing on the rings apparatus at the • Offord wins gold at Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships at the AIS Gymnastic Hall in Canberra.

Australian Institute of Sport/South Australian Sport Institute athlete Sam Offord wins gold in the men's ring event at the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships.

04 May 2010

Australian Institute of Sport/South Australian Sports Institute athlete Sam Offord has won gold in the men’s rings event at the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships taking place at the Hisense Arena in Melbourne on 1 May.

The 24-year-old Offord won gold in the men’s rings event — his favourite apparatus — scoring 15.225 points overall ahead of Hong Kong’s Kiu Chung Ng with silver (14.950).

Danell Leyva of the United States claimed bronze (14.775).

Offord was thrilled by the win.

‘I rate this win pretty highly. The caliber of the countries that are here, [from] the United States, China, Canada— to come here and take the gold medal off them is a really good feeling.’

‘This week has done a lot for my confidence. Knowing that my preparation that I did worked and that everything came off.

‘I did the six apparatus the other night and three tonight, and had no falls or major mistakes. To do that less than six months out from the Games and this far out from our trials is really good,’ Offord said.
Offord also won silver in the men’s individual all round event on 29 April.

Offord performed strongly across six apparatus — particularly the rings, vault and parallel bars — claiming silver just 0.04 points behind the winner, Canada’s Nathan Garfuik (86.25).

China's Huang Yuguo finished in third place.

2010 Pacific Rim Championships: Institute medal winners

Men

Sam Offord (South Australian Institute Sports Institute): one gold (rings) and one silver (individual all-around)
Luke Wiwatowski: one bronze (horizontal bar)