Asian Games 2026: Proud debut for men's artistic gymnasts

(From left) Men's artistic gymnastics head coach Francisco Azra with athletes Cameron Pefianco, Abdul Barr Abdulattif, Alfonso Tan, Asher Pua and Kenzu Kang at the Asian Games on 21 Sep. Photo: SNOC/ Lim Weixiang

Gymnast Asher Pua has experienced success at the regional level, having won a medal on his SEA Games debut last year. His first Asian Games outing has proven to be an eye-opening experience as the 20-year-old observed first-hand the high level of skill on display.

Pua and his teammates Alfonso Tan, Kenzu Kang, Abdul Barr Abdulattif and Cameron Pefianco made their first Asiad appearance at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games on 21 Sep, competing in the men’s qualification rounds at the Nagoya General Gymnasium [Rainbow Hall]. Singapore recorded a team score of 203.894 to rank eighth and book their place in the team final on 23 Sep. It marks the first time that a Singapore gymnastics team has qualified for an Asian Games team final.

Asher Pua greets the crowd during the athlete introductions during the men's artistic gymnastic qualifications at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Photo: SNOC/ Lim Weixiang

Said Pua: “This team final will be very memorable because I will get another chance to compete alongside my teammates one more time at the Asian Games. I will enjoy every moment and have fun on Wednesday. There were a few mistakes during my routines on pommel and rings and I am hoping to showcase my true capabilities on all the apparatus that I will be competing on, especially the pommel horse, my pet event.”

He placed 16th in the all-around event with his score of 68.998, and admitted that he had started “a bit tense” on the pommel horse. “But I enjoyed every moment out there and that was my intention coming into this competition. The SEA Games are a major Games, but the Asian Games are one step higher. It’s just a privilege to be here and to compete against world-class gymnasts. You can see the difference in terms of skill level between Southeast Asia and Asia.”

Asher Pua on the parallel bars during the men's artistic gymnastics qualifications at the 2026 Asian Games on 21 Sep. Photo: SNOC/ Lim Weixiang

Adopting a different mindset reaped a more enjoyable experience for Pua after a frustrating Commonwealth Games earlier this year. “Going into the Commonwealth Games, I had my own expectations and I couldn’t let loose when doing my routines,” said Pua, who had been targeting the pommel horse final in Glasgow but finished 29th. “That affected me quite a lot, so coming into these Asian Games, I wanted to come in with the mindset of an underdog and just focus on what I do best. When you have fun, you’ll do your best.”

The Asian Games field included reigning Olympic all-around champion Shinnosuke Oka of Japan and compatriot Daiki Hashimoto, who has Olympic and world titles in the all-around event. The Philippines’ Carlos Yulo, who owns Olympic titles in the floor and vault, was also in action.

Asian Games debutant Abdul Barr Abdulattif on the horizontal bar at the Nagoya General Gymnasium [Rainbow Hall] on 21 Sep. Photo: SNOC/ Lim Weixiang

For the young Singapore team, the experience of competing among top gymnasts was invaluable despite some nerves. The athletes hailed the supportive atmosphere in the arena, with 18-year-old Tan explaining: “Everybody was just cheering for one another and we felt really empowered.”

Alfonso Tan is making his major Games debut at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games. Photo: SNOC/ Lim Weixiang

Leading up to the Games, the team embarked on a two-week training camp in South Korea which proved beneficial for their preparations. Pefianco, who first picked up gymnastics at age seven out of boredom, relished the opportunity to train alongside a highly-skilled South Korean team.

Cameron Pefianco enjoyed the atmosphere at the Nagoya General Gymnasium [Rainbow Hall] on 21 Sep. Photo: SNOC/ Lim Weixiang

The 18-year-old, who placed 18th in the all-around event, said: “They are super good, and it's nice to see what they do and sort of use what they do and try to improve what we're doing. Their equipment was also good and their training facilities were nice.”

Kang, who was a replacement for Jovi Loh after the latter sustained a knee injury during the Commonwealth Games, added: “It was a rush to do the admin stuff to come here. But thanks to the training camp and our coach’s help, the preparation turned out really good, and I was able to perform to the best of my abilities.

“Honestly, I'm just really happy that I didn't have any major mistakes and zero falls. What I feel I could have improved on was my pommel horse routine this morning because I was supposed to do like a harder skill, but I bailed because it was a bit wonky.”

Kenzu Kang on the pommel horse on 21 Sep at the Nagoya General Gymnasium [Rainbow Hall], where the Asian Games gymnastics event is taking place. Photo: SNOC/ Lim Weixiang

The Asian Gymnastics Union recently implemented qualification criteria for the Asian Games, starting with this edition. Under this criteria, Singapore earned its spot in the men’s team event at the Games after finishing 10th at the Asian Championships in June, which was a qualifying event.

Men’s artistic gymnastics head coach Francisco Azra was proud of his charges, noting the high calibre of the competition.

“This is a great achievement for gymnastics in Singapore. The boys have worked incredibly hard to qualify for the Asian Games, and becoming the first Singaporean gymnasts to reach the team final is a well-deserved milestone and reward for their dedication. All the coaches and I are extremely proud of them,” said Azra, who joined the national set-up last August.

“In the final, I hope to see them trust the work they’ve put in, deliver the routines they’ve worked so hard to build, and, most importantly, enjoy the moment and embrace the experience of competing among the best in Asia. This is a moment we will always remember.”

Artistic gymnastics continues on 22 Sep with the women’s qualifications taking place.

The 20th Asian Games are held in Japan from 19 September to 4 October 2026. For the latest Team Singapore coverage and news, follow Team Singapore on their social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok) or visit the official Team Singapore website.