Gervasio Deferr Keen To Add World Gold to Olympic Crown (15th November, 2005)

An elusive World Championship gold medal awaits two time Olympic vault champion Gervasio Deferr from Spain. The only gymnast to defend an Olympic apparatus title in Athens, Deferr is yet to win a World Championships medal on vault.

However, he faces tough competition in two time defending Apparatus Vault World Champion Xiaopeng Li from China, European Champion Evgeni Sapronenko (LAT) and Romania’s Marian Dragulescu. These vaulting men have been prominent in the medal standings throughout the last World Championships cycle.

Deferr’s World Championship participation history epitomises the contrast between personal satisfaction and heart break. In 1999, he celebrated success with a silver medal on the floor exercise. Yet, despite finishing the 2002 World Championships in the silver medal position in the men’s vault final, Deferr was later disqualified for an earlier pre-Championships doping offence.

Look for complete coverage of the 2005 World Championships in issue one of Backflip Gymnastics Magazine. Subscribe today!