Ali Zahran, the Egyptian gymnastics player, won the gold medal in the World Cup of Artistic Gymnastics on the Ring Device. He got 14.70 points to secure first place and the gold medal, after he made a great performance in this tournament.
Few hours after his achievement, “Trendify” interviewed Ali Zahran who told more about why he considers this achievement a unique one, his qualification status to the Olympics, the techniques he used while playing and his future plans?
What does winning the gold medal of the FIG World Challenge Cup for artistic gymnastics represent to you?
My feeling is indescribable not only because of the medal I won or the score I achieved but it is a real honor to have received this international medal in the first Gymnastics World Cup to be played on an Egyptian and African land. Raising the Egyptian flag today was different and more victorious than it was in any other tournament. I felt a mixture of pride, honor and gratitude to my country that provided me with all I needed to arrive here and presented this world cup at its best in an honorable view to the whole world.
You have stated earlier that you haven't qualified for participation in the Olympics yet, what are the next steps to be taken in order to make it to the Olympics?
I should have been qualified to represent Egypt in the Olympics, by now. However, I have to achieve some points in many world cups related to my specialization device. I had only one World Cup remaining to qualify for the Olympics. Unfortunately, because the World Cup that was planned to be played in Doha was delayed and then got cancelled I didn’t manage to score the remaining points.
There is still hope that the Doha World Cup takes place at the end of June, whereby I can qualify for the Olympics.
You are the first Egyptian male gymnast to have an element named after added to the Code of Points by the International Gymnastics Federation, What does this achievement represent for you now?
Although I made this achievement in 2013, it is still my biggest to have an element named after me “Zahran”. I still use it up till today I used it in the World Cup of Artistic Gymnastics.
I had been using it in playing since, before I managed to play with it in World Cups 2012 and 2013 and managed to record it after it took approval from the technical committee of the International Gymnastics Federation and became recorded under my name in the Gymnastics code. It is a difficult element that takes degree of difficulty “F”
It is not your first time to participate in a World Cup, how did you see the organization and execution in Egypt?
It is such an honor to any Egyptian citizen to belong to a country that is able to present this cycle with this high standards or organization and massive efforts to make it this great. As a professional player, it makes me proud to play on my homeland with all the facilities and top-level organization of the tournament that can easily surpass the Organization of many other World Cups in which I have participated.
What is your next destination after this tournament?
Next October, I will participate in another World Cup in Japan. Also, I may participate in another World Cup tournament that is to be held in Slovenia, before the end of the year.