Iran’s Khodaei wins historic pommel horse silver at 2026 Asian Games
Iran’s Arman Khodaei won a historic silver in the men’s pommel horse at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Thursday, giving his country its second-ever gymnastics medal at the continental Games.
Khodaei scored 14.566 points in the final at Nagoya General Gymnasium, combining a difficulty score of 5.7 with an execution score of 8.866.
Uzbekistan’s Utkirbek Juraev won the gold with 14.733, while Japan’s Daiki Hashimoto took bronze with 14.500.
Khodaei entered the final as one of the leading qualifiers. He had scored 14.400 in qualifying, placing fourth and securing his place among the eight finalists. The qualifying field was tightly packed, with only 0.234 separating the eight finalists.
The Iranian gymnast then improved his score in the final to secure the silver.
The medal adds to Iran’s growing presence in Asian gymnastics. Olfati made history at the 2022 Hangzhou Games by winning silver in the men’s vault with 14.783 points, giving Iran its first gymnastics medal at the Asian Games.
Khodaei’s result is significant because it is Iran’s first Asian Games gymnastics medal on the pommel horse.
The men’s artistic gymnastics competition in Aichi-Nagoya features six apparatus — floor exercise, pommel horse, still rings, vault, parallel bars and horizontal bar.
For Khodaei, the silver also capped a closely contested pommel horse competition. Juraev, who had tied Khodaei’s 14.400 in qualification, produced a 14.733 final score to take the title.
Hashimoto, the world and Olympic champion, had led the qualification with 14.500 but finished third in the final.
Iran now ranks 5th in the medals table with a haul of six gold, nine silver, and three bronze medals.
The Aichi-Nagoya Games are being held from September 19 to October 4 across venues in Japan, with around 17,000 athletes and officials from 45 countries and regions competing in 43 sports.
Iran's delegation, named “Minab Angels”—a tribute to the victims of the US-Israeli attack on Shajareh Tayyebe Elementary School in Minab on February 28—is competing at the Games with 305 athletes across 38 sports.
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