Aurel Benović (born 14 July 2000)[1] is a Croatian artistic gymnast. He is the 2020 European Championships floor exercise silver medalist. He represented Croatia at the 2024 Summer Olympics and finished fifth in the vault final.

Aurel Benović
Country represented Croatia
Born (2000-07-14) 14 July 2000 (age 24)
Osijek, Croatia
DisciplineMen's artistic gymnastics
ClubGD Osijek-Zito
Head coach(es)Vladimir Madarevic
Medal record
Representing  Croatia
European Championships
Silver medal – second place 2020 Mersin Floor exercise
FIG World Cup
Event 1st 2nd 3rd
Apparatus World Cup 0 2 1
World Challenge Cup 4 1 1
Total 4 3 2

Early and personal life

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Benović was born on 14 July 2000, in Osijek. He began gymnastics when he was four years old. His father died during his childhood, and his mother died in 2023.[2]

Career

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Benović competed at the 2016 Junior European Championships and finished 41st on the floor exercise during the qualification round.[3]

2018–19

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Benović began competing in senior international competitions in 2018. He was the third reserve for the floor exercise final at the 2018 Doha World Cup.[4] At the 2019 Osijek World Challenge Cup, he finished seventh in the floor exercise final.[5] He then won his first FIG World Cup medal at the Koper World Challenge Cup.[6] Then at the 2019 Mersin World Challenge Cup, he won the gold medal on the floor exercise, the first gold medal of his senior international career.[7]

2020–21

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Benović won the silver medal on the floor exercise behind Israel's Artem Dolgopyat at the 2020 European Championships held in Mersin, Turkey.[8][9] At the 2021 European Championships, he finished 14th on the floor exercise during the qualification round.[10] He won the gold medal on the floor exercise at the 2021 Varna World Challenge Cup.[11] Then at the Osijek World Challenge Cup, he won the silver medal on the floor exercise behind Kazakhstan's Milad Karimi.[12] He competed at the 2021 World Championships in Kitakyushu but did not advance to the floor exercise final.[13]

2022

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Benović won a silver medal on the floor exercise behind Yahor Sharamkou at the 2022 Cottbus World Cup,[14] and he won the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.[15] He competed on the floor exercise at the European Championships but did not advance to the final.[16] At the Osijek World Challenge Cup, he successfully competed the most difficult routine of the floor exercise final and won the gold medal.[17] He competed at the World Championships in Liverpool and was the second reserve for the floor exercise final.[18]

2023

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At the 2023 Cottbus World Cup, Benović finished eighth in the floor exercise final.[19] Then at the Baku World Cup, he finished fifth on the floor exercise and sixth on the vault.[20] He won the silver medal on the floor exercise at the Cairo World Cup behind Ukraine's Illia Kovtun,[21] and he finished seventh in the vault final.[22] He missed the 2023 World Championships due to a broken metatarsal bone in his right foot.[2]

2024

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Benović registered for the 2024 FIG World Cup series to earn points for Olympic qualification. He finished eighth in the floor exercise final at the Cottbus World Cup.[23] Then at the Baku World Cup, he finished seventh on the floor exercise and fifth on the vault.[24] By finishing fourth on the floor exercise at the Doha World Cup, he clinched enough points to qualify for the 2024 Summer Olympics.[25][26] He won the gold medal on the vault at the Osijek World Challenge Cup and finished seventh on the floor exercise.[27] At the Olympic Games, he qualified for the vault final in third place.[28] He also competed on the floor exercise and finished 28th in the qualification round.[29] He then finished in fifth place in the vault final.[30]

References

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  1. ^ "Aurel Benović". GD Osijek (in Croatian). Archived from the original on 23 October 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  2. ^ a b "Benovic Aurel". Paris 2024. International Olympic Committee. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  3. ^ "32nd European Championships in Men's Artistic Gymnastics Seniors and Juniors Junior Qualifications" (PDF). European Gymnastics. 25 May 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  4. ^ "11th FIG Artistic Gymnastics Individual Apparatus World Cup March 21st – 24th 2018, Doha (QAT) Men's Floor Exercise Qualification" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. 21 March 2018. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  5. ^ "Results For FIG World Challenge Cup Osijek (CRO)". International Gymnastics Federation. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  6. ^ "Kovács takes two titles at Koper World Challenge Cup". International Gymnastics Federation. 3 June 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  7. ^ "Aurel Benović na Svjetskom kupu u Turskoj osvojio prvu seniorsku zlatnu medalju" [Aurel Benović won the first senior gold medal at the World Cup in Turkey]. Osijek 031 (in Croatian). 2 September 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  8. ^ Goh, ZK (13 December 2020). "Turkey claim rings and parallel bars European titles on home soil". Olympic Channel. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  9. ^ Berkeley, Geoff (13 December 2020). "Turkey end home European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships with historic double". Inside the Games. Archived from the original on 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  10. ^ "9th European Men's and Women's Artistic Gymnastics Individual Championships Men Artistic Gymnastics Qualification" (PDF). European Gymnastics. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  11. ^ "Kovtun claims two golds, Perebinosova wins full set of medals in Varna". International Gymnastics Federation. 31 May 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  12. ^ Mihić, Franc (12 June 2021). "Aurel Benović srebrni u svom Osijeku!" [Aurel Benović won silver in his Osijek!]. Osijek Express (in Croatian). Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  13. ^ "50th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Kitakyushu (JPN), 18 October – 24 October 2021 Men's Floor Exercise Qualification" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. 23 October 2021. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  14. ^ "First 2022 Apparatus World Cup Concludes in Cottbus, Germany". International Gymnast Magazine. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  15. ^ Crumlish, John (5 March 2022). "Six Countries Golden at World Cup of Doha". International Gymnast Magazine. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  16. ^ "Artistic Gymnastics Men Seniors Qualification Floor Exercise" (PDF). European Gymnastics. 18 August 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  17. ^ "Golden celebration for Croatia at World Challenge Cup in Osijek". International Gymnastics Federation. 13 June 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  18. ^ "51st FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Liverpool (GBR), 29 October – 6 November 2022 Men's Floor Exercise Qualification" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  19. ^ "Results for FIG Apparatus World Cup 2023 Cottbus (GER)". International Gymnastics Federation. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  20. ^ "FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup AGF Trophy Men Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus Finals" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. pp. 1, 4. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  21. ^ "Kovtun, Roberson adorned in gold at Cairo World Cup". International Gymnastics Federation. 2 May 2023. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  22. ^ "FIG Artistic Apparatus World Cup Cairo, Egypt 27th– 30th April 2023 MAG Finals Vault" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. 30 April 2023. p. 4. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  23. ^ "FIG Individual Apparatus World Cup Cottbus 2024" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  24. ^ "FIG Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus World Cup AGF Trophy Men Artistic Gymnastics Apparatus Final" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Gymnastics Federation. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  25. ^ "Benović izborio Pariz: Izdržao sam pritisak kada je bilo najbitnije!" [Benović won Paris: I withstood the pressure when it was most important!]. Narod (in Croatian). 19 April 2024.
  26. ^ "23 more Artistic gymnasts have earned Olympic berths! See who's headed to Paris here". International Gymnastics Federation. 22 April 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  27. ^ Crumlish, John (7 April 2024). "French women win three golds, six nations divide men's titles at World Cup of Osijek". International Gymnast Magazine. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  28. ^ "Osijek danas može do druge medalje, evo kad nastupa Aurel Benović" [Osijek can win another medal today, this is when Aurel Benović performs]. SiB hr (in Croatian). 4 August 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  29. ^ "Artistic Gymnastics Men's Floor Exercise Qualification" (PDF). USA Gymnastics. International Olympic Committee. 27 July 2024. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
  30. ^ "Men's Vault medal results – Paris 2024 Olympics". BBC Sport. Retrieved 19 August 2024.
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