A last-minute decision to compete for a spot in the individual all-around gymnastics final has paid off for New Zealand men's veteran Mikhail Koudinov.
Mikhail Koudinov (file photo) Photo: Photosport NZ
Koudinov has qualified to compete in the men's individual all-around final in 9th place.
He will be joined in Saturday's final by teammate Ethan Dick, 17, who was competing in just his second competition as a senior.
Koudinov's result was despite deciding only a week ago to even participate in the all-around qualifiers, which were held today in conjunction with the men's team finals.
Until last week, he had only been planning to compete in four of the six men's apparatus, which would have put him out of contention for the all-around competition.
"I was going to do everything except vault and floor but somehow, little by little, I started coming back, doing some basics, then doing some old skills that I used to do again."
He was especially relieved to post a strong score of 13.900 in the vault.
"Vault was definitely risky because I've hurt myself on that vault many times," he said.
"I actually did that vault for the first time in two years about a week or so ago. I put it on my feet, I'm alive, so I'm pretty happy."
The Gold Coast Games are Koudinov's fourth Commonwealth Games - he was only 15 when he attended the 2006 Games in Melbourne.
"Truth be told, it does not get easier," he said.
"I'm 26 years old and I still feel all the same nerves that I used to feel. You [just] learn how to manage it better."
Dick said he had been training with Koudinov four or five days a week and the older gymnast had coached him through the process of preparing for the Games.
"[He was] a real inspiration to me today, he helped me get through it," Dick said.
New Zealand missed out on a medal in the team final, but two team members qualified for apparatus finals - Devy Dyson on rings and Kyleab Ellis on vault.
England won the team event by more than 10 points, over Canada and Scotland - who edged Cyprus out of the bronze position by just a single point.
Devy Dyson qualified for the rings apparatus final Photo: AFP
Koudinov said the absence of some of gymnastics' heavy hitters - such as China, Russia and the US - gave Commonwealth athletes more of an incentive.
"The chances for finals and even podium finishes are a lot more realistic than at world champs or Olympic Games.
"But in the end all of these big competitions … it honestly feels the same. Once you go out there something takes over and you just kinda ride the wave."
