The University of Groningen congratulates Epke Zonderland with his Olympic gold medal!

Epke Zonderland has won a gold medal on the high bar in the London Olympics. With a spectacular routine containing a unique release combination, the University of Groningen’s medicine student scored 16.533 in the men’s horizontal high bar final.

Expectations were high for Zonderland, who has been known as one of the world’s best high bar gymnasts for years. Previously he won the 2011 European Champion title and finished second in the 2010 and 2009 World Championships. Zonderland qualified in first place for the Olympic high bar final.

A unique release combination

The extremely exciting final was of a high quality. No less than four gymnasts scored above 16. In the final Zonderland performed a unique but very daring release combination; a Cassina to Kovacs to Colman. Not only is Zonderland the only gymnast in the world to perform these three releases in one routine, but he is also the first ever to perform them as a sequence of three consecutive releases. This stunning display earned him a personal best score and, more importantly, the gold medal.