John Ivan Cruz vaults to SEA Games gold after failed title defense in floor exercise

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Gymnast John Ivan Cruz extends the Philippines' golden streak in men's vault in the SEA Games as he follows in the footsteps of Carlos Yulo and Juancho Miguel Besana

CHONBURI, Thailand – One door may have closed for John Ivan Cruz, but he made sure to make the most of the opportunity when another one opened.

The gymnast from Manila won a gold medal for the second straight Southeast Asian Games as he shared the top prize in the men’s vault at the Thammasat University Rangsit Campus in Pathum Thani on Friday, December 12.

Cruz redeemed himself after he failed to reach the final of the men’s floor exercise, the event where he won his first SEA Games gold in the 2023 Cambodia edition.

Although Cruz finished fifth in the floor exercise qualifications, he failed to make it to the final as only one gymnast per country qualified, with Justine Ace de Leon advancing as the second-best qualifier.

“My main target was to be able to defend the gold in floor but this is what God gave us, so I did not waste the chance,” said Cruz in Filipino. “I focused well and rested well for this.”

Cruz was initially adjudged the silver medalist before a score inquiry by the Philippines resulted in him getting an average of 13.833 points, the same score as Malaysia’s Muhammad Sharul Aimy.

Cruz and Aimy ended up as co-gold medalists, while Thailand’s Tikumporn Surintornta got the bronze with 13.717 points.

Thanks to Cruz, the Philippines won gold in the event for the third straight SEA Games following victories by Carlos Yulo in 2021 and Juancho Miguel Besana in 2023.

Yulo skipped this SEA Games over participation restrictions by the hosts, confident that his teammates can get the job done.

Cruz did not disappoint, while De Leon added a pair of bronzes in men’s floor exercise and still rings.

The Philippines won a total of six medals in artistic gymnastics as Aleah Finnegan bagged the women’s vault gold and balance beam bronze while Haylee Garcia clinched the women’s uneven bars silver. – Rappler.com