DANIEL Purvis, in his first competition in Scotland since winning a Commonwealth Games' gold, retained his all-around title at the Scottish Artistic Gymnastics Championships at Bell's Sports Centre in Perth.
The Southport gymnast never looked in danger of relinquishing his title as he laid the foundations of his season ahead of the World Championships, to be staged in Glasgow in October.
More immediately, he is looking to regain his British title in Liverpool next month.
"I am very happy with that. It was always going to be a battle between me and Frank [Baines]," he said. "I am really happy to come through the competition and win the title.
"I was really happy with the pommel horse. It's normally my shaky piece but I managed a few new skills and to stay on and got one of my highest scores."
The Olympic team bronze medallist finished with a total of 86.983 points to hold off clubmate Baines, who won silver in the team event alongside Purvis at Glasgow 2014.
Baines finished with 82.850 points, with City of Glasgow's Andrew Mackie winning bronze (74.050 points) but not threatening the top two.
Purvis, the Commonwealth parallel bars champion, started strongly as his major rival struggled on the opening routine.
Baines, fifth at the World Cup in Glasgow in December, did not have the best of starts on the floor, suffering a few uncertain moments.
He recovered to post 13.700 points on the pommel horse but Purvis managed 15.300 points and led after two routines with 29.950 points.
He went on to win the rings but Baines upstaged his rival on the parallel bars, which he won (15.300 points) ahead of his rival (14.050). But Purvis secured the title with an impressive 14.500 points on the high bar in his final routine.
Amy Regan (Largs), who missed out last year due to injury, won the women's all-around title for the fifth time in her first competition back after the Commonwealth Games, with a total of 48.750 points.
She won the vault, the beam and the floor and was second on the bars.
Garioch's Izzy Tolometti took second place (46.500) ahead of clubmate Megan Wright (44.800). Erin McLachlan (Diamonds GC) withdrew through injury.
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