Bacueti ends Aust men’s gym medal drought

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Anna Harrington / AAP News

 

The Aussie gymnast has captured his first career Commonwealth Games medal in the men’s vault.

James Bacueti has ended Australia’s men’s artistic gymnastics medal drought in Birmingham, claiming bronze in the vault.

Bacueti was part of the men’s team that finished fourth but turned it on in Tuesday’s vault final to claim bronze behind England’s Jake Garman and Giarnni Regini-Moran.

The 27-year-old threw everything at the final, attacking two difficult vaults.

He landed 14.466 on his first vault but stumbled on the landing on his second, recording 14.100 for an average score of 14.283.

Jarman blew the competition away to score 14.916 and claim his fourth gold medal in Birmingham.

Regini-Moran claimed silver on his 24th birthday and the home crowd sang ‘happy birthday’ to the Englishman, who scored 14.633.

Canada’s Felix Dolci looked poised to pip Bacueti after a brilliant first vault but he fell on his second to hand the Australian a medal in his final event in Birmingham.

Australia’s artistic gymnastics campaign in Birmingham has relied heavily on superstar women’s gymnast Georgia Godwin, who has two gold and two silver medals.

Later on Tuesday, Godwin will attempt to seal her fifth medal in Birmingham in the parallel beams final, competing alongside Kate McDonald.

Emily Whitehead and Romi Brown will compete in the floor final.

Tyson Bull, who finished fifth in high bar in Tokyo but bombed out in his pet discipline in the team event and individual qualifying, earned a reprieve and spot in the final courtesy of his Australian teammates.

Jesse Moore withdrew with his shoulder injury and Clay Mason Stephens opted not to compete, opening up a spot for Bull to compete alongside Mitchell Morgans.

Bull and Morgans were also due to compete in parallel bars.

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