October 25 - Britain's Daniel Keatings (pictured), the all-round world silver medallist, has won the third stage of the Champions Trophy, held today in Hanover.

 

The 19-year-old from Northamptonshire, third in the last event of the series in Berlin last month, edged Romania's Flavius Koczi, 89.175-89.125.

 

Keatings' 16.100 on pommel horse was the second-highest score of the day, behind Koczi's 16.225 on vault.

 

Russia's Maxim Devyatovsky placed third after a 12.375 on pommel horse in the second rotation.

 

American Joey Hagerty, fourth, also fell from pommel horse.

 

Germany's Fabian Hambüchen, who won the first two events in Frankfurt and Berlin, was absent due to the ankle injury that forced him to withdraw from the 2009 World Championships at the O2 in London.

 

He had turned 22 today.

 

The fourth and final leg of the 2009 Champions Trophy will be on November 15 in Stuttgart, following the DTB Cup.

 

The gymnast who amasses the most points from the four competitions will win the trophy and its grand prize of 50,000 Euros (£46,000) and a new car.

 

Devyatovski is leading with 17 points, Hambüchen second with 16, Hagarty third with 15 and Keatings fourth with 14.

 

 

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