Ray Zapata qualifies for final in Paris Olympics

Lanzarote’s Olympian gymnast Ray Zapata has qualified for the final of the men’s floor exercise at the Paris Olympics,

Ray, 31, chose a routine with a high level of difficulty (6,300 points) and pulled it off brilliantly, topping his group with 14,600 points. Over all qualifying rounds, Zapata came third.

It’s an incredible start to the games for Zapata, 31, who narrowly and controversially missed out on a Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and had been worried by a strained muscle while train for Paris. 

Born in the Dominican Republic but brought to Lanzarote as a small child, Ray Zapata has become a popular ambassador for the island, appearing in tourist campaigns and winning various honours from local authorities.

The final, in which Ray will compete against his old rival Artiom Dolgopyat as well as the British gymnasts Jake Jarman and Luke Whitehouse, will take place next Saturday, August 3^rd,  at 2.30 Canarian time.