Penza: Dmitri Barkalov (Central) claimed his first Russian Championship title Wednesday, scoring 88.300, almost 1.000 ahead of second-place Dmitri Gogotov (Moscow). The day’s competition also served as qualification for event finals.

Barkalov, the 2009 Voronin Cup champion, ranked in the top three gymnasts on four events: first on floor (14.800); second on parallel bars (14.700); and third on pommel horse (14.900) and rings (15.050).

Behind him, Gogotov scored 87.400 and matched Barkalov on floor; he also scored 14.800 on high bar, the second-highest score of the day on that event.

Nineteen-year-old Andrei Cherkasov (Siberia) was third with 86.550. His 14.750 on parallel bars led the event.

Vladimir Olennikov was close behind in fourth with 86.500, which included fifth place scores on pommel horse (14.500) and rings (14.400). European Youth Olympic Festival standouts Igor Pakhomenko (Siberia; 86.400) and David Belyavskiy (Ural; 86.150) were fifth and sixth. Belyavskiy also ranked third on high bar (14.450); fourth on vault (14.850), and fifth on parallel bars (14.250).

Competition continues today with the men’s senior team finals.

Men’s All Around

1. 1. Dmitri Barkalov (Central) 88.300
   2. Dmitri Gogotov (Moscow) 87.400
   3. Andrei Cherkasov (Siberia) 86.550
   4. Vladimir Olennikov (Moscow) 86.500
   5. Igor Pakhomenko (Siberia) 86.400
   6. David Belyavskiy (Ural) 86.150
   7. Emin Garibov (Moscow) 84.950
   7. Andrei Likhovitskiy (South) 84.950
   9. Mikhail Bodnar (Moscow) 84.250
   10. Aleksandr Dyomin (Ural) 83.600

Top Event Scores

Floor: Barkalov, Gogotov, 14.800

Pommel Horse: Perevoznikov, 15.350

Rings: Balandin, 16.000

Vault: Golotsutskov, 16.200

Parallel Bars: Cherkasov, 14.750

High Bar: Bodnar, 14.950