Considering the pain involved to just get to the Commonwealth Games, New Zealand's premier gymnast Misha Koudinov was always going to be happy with a sixth placing in the men's individual all-around competition overnight.
The Vladivostok-born Aucklander has battled all manner of bumps and strains this year, most notably a graphic knee dislocation while training last month which involved an instant and instinctive self-treatment.
He hasn't been fully fit since so a combined score of 83.000 after routines on the floor, pommel, rings, parallel bars, high bar and vault left him satisfied.
"I'm happy with the way I've pulled through," Koudinov told NZPA.
"I've been doing a lot of knee rehab these last weeks so to come back and do floor and vault in particular, it's a real plus when I wasn't even sure if I'd make it here."
Better work on a "slightly messy" pommel may have had him threatening for a medal. He wasn't far off the pace set by winner Luke Folwell (85.550 points), English compatriot Reiss Beckford (85.450) and Australian bronze medallist Joshua Jefferis (84.750).
"For the sets that I did, sixth place is a pretty good finish," he said.
"There was nothing exceptionally clean, everything seems to be around the same level right now."
Koudinov was New Zealand's youngest male to compete at a Games when, at 14, he was 20th in all-around competition at Melbourne four years ago.
Training under his father, he has competed at the last two world championships and plans to push on in the sport with a shift to the United States next year, to compete for Ohio State University (OSU).
He had looked at options in Michigan and Minnesota but OSU team member Kris Done -- a former Auckland gymnast -- influenced the final decision.
Patrick Peng was 13th in the 24-strong men's field overnight, describing falls from the high bar and parallel bars as "a shocker" although a smooth floor routine gave him encouragement ahead of today's individual apparatus competition.
The three New Zealand women weren't in the medal race in their all-around competition, featuring the vault, parallel bars, beam and floor.
Jordan Rae was 12th on 48.700 points, Holly Moon 19th with 47.300 and Briana Mitchell 23rd with 46.050.
Winner Lauren Mitchell led an Australian medal trifecta with her score of 58.200.
Just individual apparatus finals remain for the four New Zealanders who have qualified.
Koudinov was to contest the floor and rings today, Peng the floor today and vault tomorrow, Rae the women's vault today and Mark Holyoake the men's parallel bars tomorrow.