Alexander Shatilov

2.1. Early international competitions (2006-2007)

Shatilov made an early impact on the international stage. At the 2006 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, he placed seventh, becoming the first Israeli gymnast to reach a world apparatus final. He continued to demonstrate strong performance in the floor exercise, securing a fifth-place finish at the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. His early success also included winning a gold medal at the Glasgow World Cup in 2008, and a bronze medal at the World Cup Final in Madrid the same year.

2.2. Olympic debuts and first major medals (2008-2011)

Shatilov represented Israel at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. During the qualifying stage, he ranked eighth on the floor apparatus, which allowed him to advance to the final. He also placed 29th overall, narrowly missing the cut for the all-around final. In the floor final, while he placed last among the eight finalists, this still marked the best-ever achievement for an Israeli gymnast in artistic gymnastics at the Olympic Games.

Following his Olympic debut, Shatilov achieved historic milestones for Israeli gymnastics in 2009. He earned bronze medals in the floor exercise at both the 2009 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships and the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, becoming the first Israeli gymnast to win medals at both prestigious events. The same year, he showcased his dominance at the 2009 Maccabiah Games, where he secured four gold medals and two silver medals in gymnastics.

In 2010, Shatilov faced a challenge when he sustained a serious knee injury in the spring, which prevented him from competing in the European Championships. However, he made a remarkable recovery in time to compete at the 2010 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, where he placed fourth. His exceptional performances led to him being named "Athlete of the Year" in Israel for 2009.

In 2011, Shatilov continued his success, winning a silver medal in the floor exercise at the 2011 European Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Later that year, at the 2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, he added another bronze medal in the floor exercise and finished 13th in the all-around final. These achievements played a crucial role in qualifying him for the upcoming Olympic Games.

2.3. European Championship gold and continued success (2012-2017)

Shatilov's consistent performance qualified him to represent Israel at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, marking his second Olympic appearance. He tied for fourth place on the floor and finished 12th overall, which allowed him to qualify for the finals in both events. In the men's floor final, Shatilov scored 15.333, tying with American gymnast Jacob Dalton. However, due to Dalton's higher execution points, Shatilov was ranked just below him, ultimately placing sixth out of eight athletes. Following his Olympic performance in London, Shatilov also earned a bronze medal in the floor exercise at the 2012 European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Montpellier, France.

A landmark achievement in Shatilov's career occurred in April 2013, when he won a gold medal at the European Championship in Gymnastics held in Moscow, Russia. He achieved a score of 15.333, sharing the top spot with British gymnast Max Whitlock. This victory was particularly significant as Shatilov became the first Israeli gymnast in history to win a European Championship title. He was also recognized for his outstanding year by being named "Athlete of the Year" in Israel for 2013, a title he previously held in 2009. He continued his European success by securing another bronze medal at the 2014 European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

In May 2016, Shatilov continued his medal-winning streak by securing a bronze medal in the floor exercise at the European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Bern, Switzerland. The following month, in June 2016, he won a gold medal in the floor final at the World Challenge Cup competition in Anadia, Portugal, achieving a score of 15.100 after qualifying with 15.350.

He then competed for Israel at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, marking his third consecutive Olympic Games. Despite his strong performances leading up to the event, Shatilov did not advance past the qualifying round, scoring 14.066 on the men's horizontal bar and 13.5 in his floor exercise.

In April 2017, Shatilov once again demonstrated his skill in the floor exercise, earning a bronze medal at the European Men's Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. He achieved a score of 14.400 in the final.

2.4. Later career and Olympic appearances (2020)

Shatilov was selected to represent Israel at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, which were postponed to 2021 due to the global pandemic. In his fourth Olympic appearance, he scored 13.5 in the floor exercise but did not qualify for the final round.