Greek gymnast Lefteris Petrounias has secured his place in the still rings final at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championship in Zagreb, Croatia.
The 35-year-old Olympic champion qualified for the final with the second-highest score in the preliminary round. Having won his eighth European Championship gold medal last year, Petrounias is now targeting his ninth title in the competition.
Speaking after the qualifying round, Petrounias revealed that he has prepared a special surprise routine for the final on Friday. He noted that he entered the competition calmly, keeping a very low heart rate after executing numerous training routines in preparation.
The European Artistic Gymnastics Championships is the premier continental competition for the sport, held annually under the auspices of European Gymnastics. Petrounias has dominated the still rings apparatus for over a decade, earning a reputation as one of the most successful gymnasts in Greek sporting history.
Tactical decisions and qualifying performance
Petrounias finished behind Russian gymnast Ilya Zayka by less than a tenth of a point in the qualifying standings. He explained that neither competitor stuck their dismount, but he deliberately opted for a safer execution to avoid the risk of a fall.
By qualifying in second place, Petrounias will perform eighth in the running order for the final. He stated that executing last gives him the opportunity to decide how the competition concludes, as he holds two different routine variations that he can deploy depending on how his rivals perform.
Reflecting on the wider Greek team performance in Zagreb, Petrounias commended his teammates for delivering a strong showing despite early errors. He highlighted Canadian-born newcomer Giannis Chronopoulos for an outstanding performance and expressed belief that one or two minor adjustments could have secured World Championship qualification for the national squad.
Longevity and career objectives
Petrounias noted that it is now 2026 and 15 years have passed since he won his first European Championship medal in 2011. He acknowledged that while the timeline makes him appear older, he believes a great athlete is defined by longevity, leaving the final judgment of his career to the public and history.
He credited his continued success to his coach, his support team, and his family, who have supported him throughout his journey. Addressing his physical condition, Petrounias reported that he arrived at the tournament healthy and without major issues, though he experienced minor shoulder discomfort during his final week of heavy preparation.
He added that his mind is fully focused and that he is charting his strategy based on his opponents, explaining that if things get tougher he will increase his difficulty, and if things become easier he will adapt accordingly.
Looking ahead to Friday, Petrounias emphasized that his clear objective is the gold medal, pointing out that top athletes like Miltos, Emmanouil, and Christou always target the top position. While noting that second, third, or fourth place are honorable achievements, he underscored that rankings in a final can shift easily, where a first-place qualifier can end up eighth and an eighth-place competitor can take first.
Petrounias declared that he is chasing his ninth European gold and aims to finish his career with 11 titles, calling 11 a symbolic number for him. Describing Zayka as a young, talented, and fresh competitor, Petrounias concluded that the gold medal will ultimately belong to whoever stays the calmest under pressure.
