Beijing Olympic Games

Gym officials: China’s 2008 gold medalists of age

By NANCY ARMOUR, AP National Writer

Though the case is closed on China’s Olympic gold medalists, the age controversy in gymnastics is far from over.

Continue reading ‘Gym officials: China’s 2008 gold medalists of age’ »

Updated: 2008-08-24 13:03:11

The Russian team performs in the five ropes contest. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

(BEIJING, August 24) — Russia grabbed gold in the Group All-Around final of Rhythmic Gymnastics on Sunday, August 24. China won silver and Belarus ranked third place.

Each group performed two routines — one using five ropes and one using two clubs and three hoops.

After mistakes on the first day of qualifications, the current world champion Russia rose back to the top in the finals with a score of 35.550 points.

The team’s first folk-based performance using ropes ranked them on top, while the second performance secured their gold medal finish.

China won its first Olympic Group medal less than half a point behind Russia with 35.225 points. They had two near-flawless routines, the second of which was performed to Peking Opera.

Top-qualifier Belarus impressed judges with the most difficult routine of the finals, earning the team a combined score of 34.900 points for Bronze.

The Athens 2004 silver medalist, Italy, entertained audiences with creative choreography, but was unable to secure a medal and finished fourth with 34.425 points.

Updated: 2008-08-24 12:49:30

The Russian team celebrates on the podium. (Photo credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Russia took the gold medal of the Rhythmic Gymnastics Team event with a total of 35.55 points at the Beijing Olympic Games on Sunday.

China won the silver medal at 35.225, followed by Belarus in third place at 34.900.

The Russian team competes in the five ropes contest. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

The Russian team competes in the three hoops and two clubs contest. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

The Russian team performs in the five ropes rotation. (Photo credit: Nick Laham/Getty Images)
The Russian team performs in the five ropes contest. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Updated: 2008-08-24 02:06:58

(BEIJING, August 24) — Belarus leads the way into Sunday’s Group finals at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium after earning the highest score in qualifying (34.950 points).

The current World Championship bronze medalist impressed judges with two elegant performances, the first using five Ropes and the second using two Clubs and three Hoops.

Russia inched in behind them with 34.700 points. The reigning world champion and Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000 gold medalist struggled during day one of qualifications, but managed to improve their standing with a near-flawless routine on day two.

The third-ranked qualifier is China, who finished ninth at the 2007 World Championships. The host country is bidding for its first Olympic Group All-Around medal.

Athens 2004 silver and bronze medalists, Italy and Bulgaria, rounded off the top five.

The top eight teams from the qualification round will advance to Sunday’s finals and perform two routines, one with five Ropes and the other with two Clubs and three Hoops. But their points do not carry over.

Updated: 2008-08-23 21:53:00

Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia waves to the crowd (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)

(BEIJING, August 23) — Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia won the gold medal by an impressive 3.575-point margin in the Individual All-Around finals at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium on Saturday.

The 18-year-old had the top score of the field on all four apparatus (75.500) to give Russia their third consecutive Olympic Games title in the Individual All-Around. Kanaeva, the 2008 European Individual All-Around champion, led the field by 0.650 points after the first apparatus and extended her lead as the four rotations progressed.

Seventh at Athens 2004, Inna Zhukova of Belarus performed with consistency and elegance to win the silver medal (71.925). She pulled into second place after her clubs routine in the third rotation, despite dropping the apparatus at the beginning of her performance.

Athens 2004 bronze medalist Anna Bessonova of Ukraine was in fifth place after two apparatus, but dynamic routines with clubs and ribbon in the second half of the final pulled her into third (71.875). Following an inquiry, the difficulty value of Bessonova’s clubs routine was raised by 0.050. Her ribbon routine in the fourth rotation cemented her third place, although the judges delayed posting her score for several minutes.

“For me, the spectators are the real judges. Because of them, I performed better with the ribbon than the other three apparatus.” said Bessonova.

“The Olympic Games bring together different Gymnastics heroes, but only three gymnasts can make it to the medal podium. One time every four years, you can win an Olympic medal, so for me even another bronze medal makes me happy.”

The 2005 world Individual All-Around champion Olga Kapranova of Russia suffered two drops in her clubs routine in the third rotation and received a low score of 16.925. She recovered in the final rotation by performing the third highest-scoring ribbon routine of the day, but ended 0.175 points behind Bessonova.

Updated: 2008-08-23 21:07:05

Evgeniya Kanaeva competes. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Russian Evgeniya Kanaeva won the Gymnastics Rhythmic Individual All-around gold medal at the Beijing Olympic Games here on Saturday.

Kanaeva scored 75.500 points, beating Belarus’s Inna Zhukova, who earned silver with 71.925. Ukraine’s Anna Bessonova got bronze with 71.875.

Evgeniya Kanaeva competes. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Evgeniya Kanaeva competes. (Photo credit: Xinhua)

Updated: 2008-08-23 20:51:45

Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia waves to the crowd (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Ribbon routine. (Photo credit: Harry How/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Ribbon routine. (Photo credit: Harry How/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Ribbon routine. (Photo credit: Harry How/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Clubs routine. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Clubs routine. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Hoop routine. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Hoop routine. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Hoop routine. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
Gold medalist Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia performs the Rope routine. (Photo credit: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)