5th Australian Youth Olympic Festival 2009Great Britain and China most successful

Ashley WATSON (GBR)
wins all-around and parallel bars
5 Gold for British Boys!

After the OPENING CEREMONY of the Sydney Entertainment Centre - Darling Harbour, the first competion day of the 5th AUSTRALIAN YOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL 2009 started at Thursday:
The girl's team of CHINA 169,825), followed by Japan and Great Britain and the boy's team of Great Britain (247,201), in front of China and Australia I where the first winner of the team events.
On Friday Ashley WATSON from Leeds (GBR) won the all-round (82,800), followed by Reiss BECKFORD and Max WHITLOCK - all from Great Britain (!!)
Cui, Jie (CHN; 59,175) won the all-around girl'd competition in front of two Japaneses.

'... SEE TOMORROW'S OLYMPIANS TODAY!'

5th AUSTRALIAN XOUTH OLYMPIC FESTIVAL 2006
- Sydney, Jan 14 - 18 -
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*ARTISTIC GYMNASTICS RESULTS:

* TEAMS
Great Britain’s shock win in the men’s artistic gymnastic teams event was a precursor for clean sweep in the individual all-around.
> Teams Boys & Girls (Jan 15)

* ALL-AROUND
Sixteen-year-olds Ashley Watson, Max Whitlock and Reiss Beckford shone in front of the excited crowd as they took out gold, silver and bronze. Watson scored 82.800, followed closely by Beckford on 82.033 and Whitlock on 82.000.
Beckford and Whitlock kept the crowd sitting on the edge of there seats in a tight battle for second place.
> All-around Boys (Jan 16) > All-around Girls (Jan 16)

* Event Finals - B O Y S:
After winning the team and all-around competitions the British boys were also the most successful athletes at the final events:
They went to gold on floor exercises (Reiss BECKFORD: -14.000), on pommel horse (Max WHITLOCK: -14.425) and also on parallel bars (Ashley WATSON: -14.075).
The other victors came from China:
- LIU, Zhanteng on rings -14.200) and vault - 15.550.
- ZHU, Xiaodong on high bar - 14.075.

At the end British boy group was the most successful nation on male side:
5 gold - 4 silver - 3 bronze medals;
China came on 3 gold - 2 silver - 2 bronze and
Australia won each 3 silver and bronze medals.

* Event finals - G I R L S:
WU, Liufang on balance beam (15.600) and all-around winner CUI, Jie on floor exercises (14.825) won two more gold at the final day.
So China were the most successful nation on womens side, winning 4 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medal (4/2/1).
Japanese girls ranked on second place (1/2/2 ), after team and AA silver & bronze, and after the gold medal of Natsumi SASADA on uneven bars (14.350).
Host Australia won gold an silver on vault by Emily LITTLE (14.700) and Britt GREELEY (14.450) and came on third place by nations (1/1/--).
British girls didn't get a gold medal (--/1/3). The best at final day was Danusia FRANCIS, winning silver on floor (14.025):
- Detailed Results:
> DAY 1 - Jan 17; > DAY 2 - Jan 18

* ... about "A Y O F 2009"
Sydney, AUS, Jan 14 - 18
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* General Information:
The 5th Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) promises to be the biggest and best yet, with more sports, more competing countries and more aspiring Olympians than ever before.
The best young athletes from Australia and around the world will converge on Sydney to compete at the Olympic venues over five days of competition from January 14 – 18 2009.

After a successful Beijing Olympics and a looming London Games, both China and Great Britain are sending large teams.
*China is sending the biggest team – 273 athletes and officials.
*Great Britain – 190,
*New Zealand – 229 and
*Japan – 117.
... Chile, Norway and Kazakhstan will compete at the Festival for the first time.
*Host Australia will field a team of 660 athletes and officials. Many of these athletes will go on to wear the green and gold in London, some at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore.
** In total, 1550 athletes from 27 countries will compete across 17 sports:
- Athletics, gymnastics, swimming, diving, hockey, archery and fencing will all be contested at Sydney Olympic Park.

** External Link:
... more information about >> Gymnastics Events

** External AYOF Link:
... more information about >> Gymnastics Events
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** ... read more about Rhythmic Gymnastics
** ... read more about Trampoline Gymnastics

** GYMmedia Review:
>> The 3rd AYOF was held 2005
.... 4th AYOF 2007

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