Sašo Bertoncelj

{{Infobox gymnast

| name = Sašo Bertoncelj

| image = Bertoncelj - Gymnastics at the 2015 European Games (cropped).jpg

| alt = Portrait of Bertoncelj holding up a gold medal during the 2015 European Games.

| caption = Bertoncelj at the 2015 European Games

| country = {{SLO}}

| regions =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|7|16|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Kranj, SR Slovenia, Yugoslavia

| hometown =

| residence =

| death_date =

| death_place =

| height = 1.80 m

| discipline = MAG

| natlteam =

| club = SD Narodni Dom

| gym =

| collegeteam =

| headcoach = Sebastijan Piletič

| assistcoach =

| formercoach =

| choreographer =

| music =

| eponymousskills =

| retired =

| worldranking =

| updated =

| show-medals = yes

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry|{{SLO}}}}

{{MedalCount

|total=yes

|Apparatus World Cup|3|2|4

|World Challenge Cup|6|6|11

}}

Sašo Bertoncelj ({{IPA|sl|ˈsáːʃɔ bɛrˈtóːnt͡sɛl}}; born 16 July 1984){{cite web|title=2014 World Gymnastics Championships Entry List by NOC|url=http://gym.longinestiming.com/File/00000D00020000FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF00|work=Longines Timing|publisher=International Gymnastics Federation|date=2 October 2014|accessdate=27 January 2016|page=9}} is a Slovenian former artistic gymnast. He was primarily a pommel horse specialist and is the 2015 European Games champion on that apparatus. He is also a three-time European Championships medalist on the pommel horse.

Gymnastics career

Bertoncelj began gymnastics when he was seven years old and was coached by {{ill|Sebastijan Piletič|qid=Q114299046}} for his entire career.{{cite web |title=Bertoncelj Saso - FIG Athlete Profile |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/athletes/bio_detail.php?id=18430 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025}} He competed on the pommel horse at the 2005 World Championships but did not advance to the finals.{{cite web |title=38th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Melbourne, Australia - November 22nd - 27th 2005 Results Men's Qualifications |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/worlds_artistic_results_2005.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |pages=5 |date=22 November 2005}} He won the pommel horse title at the 2007 Summer Universiade.{{cite web |title=Bertonclju zlato, Isakovičevi srebro in državni rekord |url=https://old.delo.si/sport/bertonclju-zlato-isakovicevi-srebro-in-drzavni-rekord.html |website=Delo |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=12 August 2007 |trans-title=Bertoncelj gets gold, Isakovič gets silver and a national record}} He qualified for the pommel horse final at the 2009 European Championships and finished eighth after falling.{{cite web |title=Bertoncelj na EP osmi na konju z ročaji |trans-title=Bertoncelj eighth on pommel horse at the European Championships |url=https://www.24ur.com/sport/ostalo/bertoncelj-na-ep-osmi-na-konju-z-rocaji.html |website=24ur.com |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=5 April 2009}} Then at the 2009 Summer Universiade, he won the pommel horse bronze medal behind Krisztián Berki and Donna-Donny Truyens.{{cite web |title=Gymnastics Artistic Men's Pommel Horse Final |url=https://gymmedia.com/AG/UNIVERSIADE/2009/UCh09-men-2ph.pdf |website=Gym Media |publisher=Belgrade 2009 |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=5 June 2009}} He finished 12th on the pommel horse in the qualification round of the 2009 World Championships.{{cite web |title=41st Artistic Gymnastics World Championships October 13 – 18, 2009 London (GBR) Results Men's Qualification |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/09artisticworlds_mq_101309.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |pages=13 |date=13 October 2009}}

Bertoncelj won his first European Championships medal in 2010 when he won the pommel horse bronze medal behind British gymnasts Dan Keatings and Louis Smith.{{cite web |title=Daniel Keatings strikes gold to make gymnastics history for Britain |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/apr/25/keatings-smith-european-gymnastics-pommel |website=The Guardian |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=25 April 2010}} He qualified for the pommel horse final at the 2010 World Championships but fell and finished eighth.{{cite web |title=Sašo Bertoncelj osmi na gimnastičnem SP |url=https://old.delo.si/sport/saso-bertoncelj-osmi-na-gimnasticnem-sp.html |website=Delo |trans-title=Sašo Bertoncelj eighth at the Gymnastics World Championships |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=23 October 2010}} He also fell in the pommel horse final at the 2011 World Championships and finished seventh.{{cite web |title=FIG News - That was some wild stallion! |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site//news/displaynews.php?urlNews=344416 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=15 October 2011}} He won the pommel horse title at the 2012 Osijek World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Osijek Displays Diversity |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=710859 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=30 April 2012}} He won the pommel horse silver medal at the 2013 Cottbus World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Russian Gymnasts Capture Cottbus |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=625778 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=25 March 2013}} He then won the gold medal at the Ljubljana World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Black and Ruggeri excel in Ljubljana |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=634849 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=29 April 2013}} At the 2013 European Championships, he finished seventh in the pommel horse final.{{cite web |title=5th European Men's and Women's Artistic Gymnastics Individual Championships Men's Apparatus Finals |url=https://www.gymmedia.de/AG/ECh/Moscow13/results/men-FIN-2PH.pdf |website=Gym Media |publisher=European Gymnastics |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=20 April 2013}} He then won the pommel horse title at the 2013 Mediterranean Games.{{cite web |title=Sredozemske igre: Bertoncelj z zlato kolajno, suspenz za Saro Hutinski |trans-title=Mediterranean Games: Bertoncelj with gold medal, Sara Hutinski suspended |url=https://old.delo.si/sport/drugi-sporti/sredozemske-igre-bertoncelj-z-zlato-kolajno-suspenz-za-saro-hutinski.html |website=Delo |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=24 June 2013}} He was the third reserve for the pommel horse final at the 2013 World Championships.{{cite web |title=44th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships in Antwerp (BEL) Men's Qualification |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/m_13worlds_qualevents.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |pages=9 |date=30 September 2013}}

Bertoncelj won the pommel horse bronze medal at the 2014 Doha World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Shirai, Iordache, Palesova, Merdinyan strike gold in Doha |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=293202 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=27 March 2014}} He then won the bronze medal at the 2014 European Championships behind Max Whitlock and Krisztián Berki.{{cite web|url=http://www.intlgymnast.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4052:ablyazin-wilson-dominate-european-finals&catid=5:competition-reports&Itemid=164|title=Ablyazin, Wilson Dominate European Finals |work=International Gymnast Magazine|access-date=25 May 2014|url-status=dead|last1=Turner|first1=Amanda|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529103251/http://www.intlgymnast.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4052:ablyazin-wilson-dominate-european-finals&catid=5:competition-reports&Itemid=164|archive-date=29 May 2014}} At the 2014 World Championships, he qualified for the pommel horse final and finished fourth, missing out on a medal by 0.067 points.{{cite web |last1=Reed |first1=Becca |title=Recap: Men's Event Finals Day 1- FX, PH, SR |url=https://www.flogymnastics.com/articles/5039602-recap-mens-event-finals-day-1-fx-ph-sr |website=FloGymnastics |publisher=FloSports |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=10 October 2014}} Bertoncelj represented Slovenia at the 2015 European Games and won the gold medal in the pommel horse final.{{cite web |last1=Butler |first1=Nick |title=Steingruber scoops Swiss golden double on packed day of Baku 2015 gymnastics finals |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1028144/steingruber-scoops-swiss-golden-double-on-packed-day-of-baku-2015-gymnastics-finals |website=Inside the Games |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=20 June 2015}} He was dealing with an elbow injury in the lead-up to the 2015 World Championships and lowered the difficulty of his routine. He fell off the pommel horse in the qualification round and failed to advance to the final, which also ended his chances of qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |title=Daleč od popolnega nastopa in finala |trans-title=Far from a perfect performance and final |url=https://old.delo.si/sport/drugi-sporti/dalec-od-popolnega-nastopa-in-finala.html |website=Delo |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=26 October 2015}}

Bertoncelj won the pommel horse silver medal at the 2016 Ljubljana World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Malaysian women surprise at Ljubljana World Challenge Cup |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=1507343 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=11 April 2016}} He advanced to the pommel horse final at the 2016 European Championships and finished seventh.{{Cite web |url=https://gymnasticsresults.com/euro/2016/magsen/af2ph.pdf |title=32nd European Championships in Men's Artistic Gymnastics Seniors and Juniors: Senior Apparatus Finals (Pommel Horse) |website=Gymnastics Results |publisher=European Gymnastics |access-date=20 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531135406/http://www.gymnasticsresults.com/euro/2016/magsen/af2ph.pdf |archive-date=31 May 2016 |url-status=dead }} He won the pommel horse title at the 2017 Koper World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Rebecca |title=Koper World Challenge Cup Recap: Black Returns From Injury, Iordache Shines |url=https://www.flogymnastics.com/articles/5065359-koper-world-challenge-cup-recap-black-returns-from-injury-iordache-shines |website=FloGymnastics |publisher=FloSports |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=15 May 2017}} He then placed sixth in the 2017 European Championships final.{{Cite web |url=https://gymnasticsresults.com/euro/2017/magaf2ph.pdf |title=7th Petrom European Men's and Women's Artistic Gymnastics Championships – Men – Apparatus Final (Pommel Horse) |website=Gymnastics Results |publisher=European Gymnastics |access-date=20 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171208184309/http://gymnasticsresults.com/euro/2017/magaf2ph.pdf |archive-date=8 December 2017 |url-status=dead }} At the 2017 Paris World Challenge Cup, he won the bronze medal.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2017 Paris Challenge Cup Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2017/09/16/2017-paris-challenge-cup-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=16 September 2017}} He finished eighth at the 2017 World Championships after falling in the beginning of his routine.{{cite web |title=Sašo Bertoncelj po veliki napaki osmi na SP |url=https://old.delo.si/sport/drugi-sporti/saso-bertoncelj-po-veliki-napaki-osmi-na-sp.html |website=Delo |trans-title=Sašo Bertoncelj eighth at the World Championships after a big mistake |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=7 October 2017}}

Bertoncelj competed at the 2018 Mediterranean Games and finished fifth in the pommel horse final and eighth with the Slovenian team.{{cite web |last1=Hopkins |first1=Lauren |title=2018 Mediterranean Games Men's Results |url=https://thegymter.net/2018/07/01/2018-mediterranean-games-mens-results/ |website=The Gymternet |access-date=3 May 2023 |date=1 July 2018}} Then at the 2018 European Championships, he tied with Croatia's Robert Seligman for the silver medal on the pommel horse.{{cite web |last1=Etchells |first1=David |title=Double gold for Dalaloyan seals Russia's domination of artistic gymnastics at Glasgow 2018 European Championships |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1068737/double-gold-for-dalaloyan-seals-russias-domination-of-artistic-gymnastics-at-glasgow-2018-european-championships |website=Inside the Games |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=12 August 2018}} He then won the bronze medal at the Koper World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Kysselefova in Bertoncelj tretja v Kopru |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/preostali-sporti/kysselefova-in-bertoncelj-tretja-v-kopru/456802 |trans-title=Kysselefova and Bertoncelj third in Koper |website=Radiotelevizija Slovenija |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=2 June 2018}} He then won the silver medal at the Szombathely World Challenge Cup behind Oleg Verniaiev,{{cite web |title=Verniaiev continues comeback at Szombathely World Challenge Cup |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2206248 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=24 September 2018}} and he won the bronze medal at the Paris World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Host France take 5 golds at World Challenge Cup in Paris |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2210772 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=1 October 2018}}

Bertoncelj missed most of the 2019 season due to an elbow injury. He returned in September to win the pommel horse gold medal at the 2019 Mersin World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Turkey on top at Mersin World Challenge Cup |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2595838 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=4 September 2019}} He then won the bronze medal at the Szombathely World Challenge Cup.{{cite web |title=Ukraine nab nine medals, Hungary shine at Szombathely World Challenge Cup |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=2602602 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=10 September 2019}} Bertoncelj injured his shoulder at the 2020 European Championships. He returned to competition in 2021 and competed at the 2021 World Championships. He finished 15th in the pommel horse during the qualification round and did not advance to the final.{{cite web |title=50th FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships Kitakyushu (JPN), 18 October - 24 October 2021 Men's Pommel Horse Qualification |url=https://static.usagym.org/PDFs/Results/2021/m_21worlds_eventqual.pdf |website=USA Gymnastics |publisher=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |pages=4 |date=23 October 2021}} He announced his retirement from the sport in 2021.{{cite web |title=Medals were awarded at the World Cup in Koper, the heroines on the Slovenian national team are Tjaša Kysselef and Lucija Hribar, and Sašo Bertoncelj retires |url=https://slogym.si/medals-were-awarded-at-the-world-cup-in-koper-the-heroines-in-the-slovenian-national-team-are-tjasa-kysselef-and-lucija-hribar-and-saso-bertoncelj-concludes-her-career/ |website=Slovenian Gymnastics Federation |access-date=3 March 2024 |date=5 September 2021}}{{cite web |title=Nekdanji tekmovalec MasterChefa končal športno kariero |trans-title=Former MasterChef contestant ends sports career |url=https://svet24.si/magazin/njena/sport/nekdanji-tekmovalec-masterchefa-koncal-sportno-kariero-914220 |website=Svet24 |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=20 October 2021}}

Eponymous skill

File:43. Šalamunov memorial (0).jpg

Since 2018, Bertoncelj has a pommel horse skill named after him in the Code of Points. He became the fourth Slovenian gymnast to have an eponymous skill.{{cite web |title=Sašo Bertoncelj končno "našel samega sebe" v pravilniku |trans-title=Sašo Bertoncelj finally "found himself" in the rules |url=https://www.rtvslo.si/sport/preostali-sporti/saso-bertoncelj-koncno-nasel-samega-sebe-v-pravilniku/443828 |website=Radiotelevizija Slovenija |access-date=24 April 2025 |language=Slovenian |date=22 January 2018}}

class="wikitable"
Apparatus ! Name ! Description ! Difficulty{{efn\|name=difficulty\|Valid for the 2025–2028 Code of Points.{{cite web \|title=Men's Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points 2025-2028 \|url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_1.1%20-%20MAG%20CoP%202025-2028.pdf \|website=International Gymnastics Federation \|access-date=24 April 2025 \|pages=51 \|date=3 July 2024}}}}
Pommel horse \| Bertoncelj \| Kehr with 270° turn on 1 pommel (Sohn technique) from side to cross support \| C (0.3)

class="wikitable"

Apparatus

! Name

! Description

! Difficulty{{efn|name=difficulty|Valid for the 2025–2028 Code of Points.{{cite web |title=Men's Artistic Gymnastics Code of Points 2025-2028 |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/publicdir/rules/files/en_1.1%20-%20MAG%20CoP%202025-2028.pdf |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |pages=51 |date=3 July 2024}}}}

Pommel horse

| Bertoncelj

| Kehr with 270° turn on 1 pommel (Sohn technique) from side to cross support

| C (0.3)

Personal life

In 2022, Bertoncelj won the election for President of the Mediterranean Games Athletes Commission for a four-year term.{{cite web |last1=Barker |first1=Philip |title=Bertoncelj to lead Mediterranean Games Athletes Commission to 2026 |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1130457/bertoncelj-med-games-athlete-commission |website=Inside the Games |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=15 November 2022}} He has also been involved with the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Athletes' Commission.{{cite web |title=Webinar for athletes - How to engage in the positive cultural change in Gymnastics |url=https://www.gymnastics.sport/site/news/displaynews.php?urlNews=3562436 |website=International Gymnastics Federation |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=5 July 2022}} He competed on the 2017 season of MasterChef Slovenia and finished ninth.{{cite web |title=Sašo Bertoncelj (Slovenia) – MasterChef in Pommel horse |url=https://osijekgym.com/en/saso-bertoncelj-slovenia-masterchef-in-pommel-horse/ |website=Osijek World Cup |access-date=24 April 2025 |date=30 April 2019}}{{cite web |title=Tekmovalec šova MasterChef do uspeha v lastni karieri |url=https://svet24.si/magazin/njena/sport/tekmovalec-sova-masterchef-do-uspeha-v-lastni-karieri-654022 |website=Svet24 |access-date=24 April 2025 |trans-title=MasterChef contestant on his way to success in his own career |language=Slovenian |date=13 August 2018}} Bertoncelj lives in Škofja Loka with his wife and two sons.

Notes

References

External links

{{Sports links}}

Category:Living people

Category:1984 births

Category:21st-century Slovenian sportsmen

Category:Competitors at the 2013 Mediterranean Games

Category:European Games gold medalists for Slovenia

Category:European Games medalists in gymnastics

Category:FISU World University Games bronze medalists for Slovenia

Category:Gymnasts at the 2015 European Games

Category:Mediterranean Games gold medalists for Slovenia

Category:Mediterranean Games medalists in gymnastics

Category:Slovenian male artistic gymnasts

Category:Summer World University Games medalists in gymnastics

Category:Sportspeople from Kranj