18. October 2009  
London, Great Britain  
Artistic Gymnastics

WOMENs FINALS: Gold medals to China and each one to USA and British Host

HE Kexin
(CHN) World Title after Olympic Gold

Gold goes to the favorite, beginners and hosts
The uneven bars Olympic winner from Peking, China HE Kexin could not to be beaten on the first day of the apparatus finals in London and won the title, before the surprise gymnast of this World Championship, Koko TSURUMI, who after all-around Bronze now,  won a World Championship Silver, for the first time after 43 years, for Japan. Bronze went to Rebecca BROSS (USA) and Ana PORGRAS from Romania. Before, the vault European Champion Ariella KAESLIN had won the first ever Swiss World Championship medal in womens gymnastics with Silver and only got beaten by the US beginner Kyla WILLIAMS.

The last final day brought the second Chinese victory by letzte DENG, Linlin (Balken) and the cheered on first British World Championship Gold on the floor by the current European Champion  Beth TWEDDLE...

 

32. GYMNASTICS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, Women 2009  - London, Great Britain, O2 Arena, 17. October
___________________________________________

* FINAL DAY I
After yesterday's all-around double success of USA, the established women's gymnastics nations like China, Russia or Rumania got a raw deal by the awarding of medals.
So the final two days of these worlds are awaiting thrilling answers of rehabilitation, because - aside from Kayly Williams (USA) on the vault, at all the other three apparati gymnasts from China (HE, Kexin on bars), Rumania (PORGRAS on beam) and Russia (MYZDRIKOVA on floor) ranked on top for the qualifications. But don't forget the frustration of the Brit Beth TWEDDLE with her only one chance on the floor, and also some others are not without chances for medals in London ...

*... look at the 
    >> Overview of the App. Qualifiers
.
.. and also at the
    >> FINAL START LIST, 1st Day

* The competition starts 1.00 pm local time (GMT)

 

 

Final: VAULT * Initial situation
Only three gymnasts were able to offer a vault each with a level of difficulty of 6 points and more: HONG Un Jong (PRK) - 6.5, Williams (USA) and Kaeslin (SUI) each with 6.3 ... there quality aswell as their difficulty and level of control for the second vault will decide over the title and medals. Lastly handling the risk will be the deciding factor ...

* RESULTS:
1. WILLIAMS, Kayla (USA)   = 15,087
  1. - Chusovitina (+) ...  (6.3) - 15,200
  2. - Yurchenko, 2/1-turn- (5.8)  - 14,925

2. KAESLIN, Ariella (SUI)   = 14,525
  1. - Chusovitina  - (6.3) - 15,075
  2. - Yurchenko, 1 1/2  - (6.3)  - 13,975

3. DUFOURNET, Youna (FRA)   = 14,450
  1. - Yurchenko, 1 1/2  - (5.3) - 14,275
  2. - Rondat, 1/2-turn, forward hand spring, stretched summersault 1/2  (5.6) - 14,625

4. KURBATOVA, Ekaterina (RUS)   = 14,337
  1. -  Yurchenko, 2/1-twist (5.8) - 14,725
  2. - Rondat, 1/2-turn, forward hand spring, stretched salto 1/2  (5.6) - 13,950

5.  HONG, Un Jong (PRK)    = 14,262
  1. - Yurchenko 2,5 twists FALL! (6.5) - 14,425
  2. - Rondat, 1/2-twist, forward hand spring, stretched Salto  11/2 FALL! (6.5) - 14,100

6. MYZDRIKOVA, Anna (RUS)  = 14,225
  1 - Rondat, 1/2-turn, forward hand spring, stretched Salto1/2 - (5.6) - 14,275
  2. - Yurchenko, 1 1/2  - (5.3) - 13,975

7.  ROGERS, Brittany (CAN)   = 14,200
  1. -Yurchenko, 2/1-twist(5.8) - 14,425
  2. - Rondat, 1/2-twist, forward hand spring, stretched Salto 1/2  (5.6) - 13,975

8. GARCIA, Elsa (MEX)    = 13,287
  1. - Yurchenko 1,5 twists (5.3) - 14,000
  2. - Rondat, 1/2-twist, forward hand spring, Salto, ducked, FALL (5.2) - 12,575
   >> Detaild Results

 

 

Final: UNEVEN BARS_______________________________

* Initial situation:
The Chinese HE, Kexin performed the most difficult excersise and was the only one to achieve more than 7 points A-score(7.1). Following her may be Rebecca Bross (USA) or perhaps the North Korean Cha Hong Hwa...

* RESULTS:
1. HE, Kexin             (CHN)  (7.1) - 16,000
2. TSURUMI, Koko  (JPN)  (6.2) - 14,875
3.  BROSS, Rebecca (USA)  (6.2) - 14,675
3. PORGRAS, Ana (ROU)  (6.3) - 14,675

5. CHA, Yong Hwa (PRK)  (6.3) - 14,650
6.  SLOAN, Bridget (USA)  (5.9) - 14,600
7. MILLER, Larissa (AUS)  (5.9) - 14,575
8. LICCHETTA, Serena (ITA) STURZ (5.1) - 11,950
   >> Detaild Results

 

 

* Uneven bars-notesHard to believe but but the last Chinese World Championship victory lies 15 years back (1994 in Brisbane: LUO, Li) and after FAN Di (Stuttgart 1989) and MA  Yanhong (1979, with Maxi Gnauck (GDR) this victory of the Olympics winner from Peking, HE, Kexin is only the fourth uneven-bars World Championship title for the perfect Chinese womens gymnastics.
Koko TSURUMI takes the 2nd place in Dortmund - 43 years after Keiko IKEDAS in Dortmund for the first time again Silver for Japan!
*  ... read also >> WCh History Uneven bars 

 

 

* 2. Final Day (Sunday, October 18)
   >> Start list Day2
Final:  BALANCE BEAM
____________________________________
* Initial situation:
Romanias women still without a win ...? This could change today, as Ana PORGRAS is going into the competition with the highest qualifying marks at the balance beam, however as the only hopeful candidate, because Nistor, Ponor, Izbasa and Ban are no longer in the league. The last Romanian World Championship win lies 8 years back letzte (Raducan, 2001, Gent, vicee-European champion Tamirjan not qualified). From the Olympics final 2008 only Koko TSURUMI (JPN) is still in the game, from the last World Championship final (Stuttgart 2007) only Mitchell (AUS).
The strongest seems to be the entire quartett (!) of the asian rivalry...!

* RESULTS: 
1. DENG, Linlin (CHN) ... secure, top technique!,leap on to end of beam. pike front, flick flick straight layout; ring leap; free walkover to tuck back - small wobble; piked Korbut; side somie; nails double pike dismount. Good work. ... (6.4) = 15,000
2.  MITCHELL, Lauren (AUS) ... concentrated display, sure landing .. flick, flick layout; 3 leap combination; lovely double spin in crouch position; free walkover to front tuck; double pike dismount, 1 step back.(6.3) = 14,875
3.  HONG, Ivana (USA) ... a few small wobbles ... straddle lift to split handstand, free walkover, layout; leap to tuck back, onodi, sheep jump, siode somie, ring leap - slight arm adjustment; side somie, safe landing to double pike dismount (6.0) = 14,550

4. KIM, Un Hyang (PRK) ... very dynamic and cheeky acrobatics ... side somie, wobble; leap to tuck back; free walkover; round-off full twist straight back, safe landing, tuck front - wobble; double pike dismount. Great difficulty, but some adjustments   (6.0) =14,450
5. PREZIOSA, Elisabetta (ITA) ... nice choreography beautiful mount, straddle up to split handstand, going very well with leap to tuck back and flicks, another lovely arabesque in extended splits position, a great free cartwheel to one-leg lift; 1 small step on dismount. Some original moves.(5.8) = 14,200
6.  TSURUMI, Koko (JPN) ... insecure, composed .. jump to walkover mount; free walkover, flick flick big wobble; Onodi, sheep jump; side somie; and again; 2-1/2 twist dismount   (5.7) = 14,100
7.  PORGRAS, Ana (ROU) ... forward roll mount, super free cartwheel, flick layout but FALL; slight wobbles, another big wobble after tuck back; side somie; nice leaps, flick flick double pike dismount, nailed. Several uncertainties from the top qualifier,  (6.4) = 13,425
8.  YANG, Yilin (CHN)...  Onodi, slight wobble, flick tuck back, solid, full twist Korbut, slightly off, free walkover free cartwheel, leap but FALL, 2-1/2 twist dismount... (5.6) = 13,125
   >> detailed results

 

 

* Beam Notes:__________________
A beam challenge is always only over after the last excersise. The fall of the favorite, the Romanian Porgras gives the deserved win to the Chinese DENG, Linlin: After the last win by FAN Ye 2003 in Anaheim now the fourth win on the beam for China.
Lauren MITCHELL however achieved the very first World Championship medal for Australia. After Liukins win two years ago now Bronze for the USA by the World Championship newcomer Ivana HONG.

*  ... look also to >> WCh History Balance Beam

 

 

Final: FLOOR EXERCISES_______________________________
* Initial situation:
After being unlucky on the uneven bars, a little distressed the local matador Elizabeth Tweddle, who is supported by the entire O2 Arena - will fight against the strong competition of the established gymnastics nation, because Myzdrikova (RUS) obtained the best mark, followed by SUI, Lu (CHN) and Porgras (ROU). Tweddle with the fourth best point averge in the qualification, closely followed by Mitchell.... however has to get on the mat as the starting gymnast...!! The last word speaks Deng, Linlin!
It starts at zero but also here, the whole final field lies no more than 0,5 points apart. Whoever makes the least mistakes has the greatest chances ...!

* RESULTS:

1. TWEDDLE, Elizabeth (GBR) ... fantastic atmosphere, superb excersise... (6.1) = 14,650
2. MITCHELL, Lauren (AUS) ... strong excersise, beats Porgras (5.8) = 14,550)
3. SUI, Lu (CHN) ... balanced acrobatics and gymnastics parts, double pike forward - perfect stand! (5.7) = 14,300

4. MYZDRIKOVA, Anna (RUS) ..  strong, 1 landing mistake .. (5.9) = 14,275
5. BROSS, Rebecca (USA) ... progress compared to the previous fight!! .. (5.7) = 14,125
5. PORGRAS, Ana (ROU) ... after unlucky beam excersise, great progression! (5.7) = 14,125
7. DENG, Linlin (CHN) ... only5.4 A-score and final score = 13,875
8. GIL ORTIZ, Jessica (COL) ... Fall! during double somi forwards ..injury to be treated ...  break off, (0.9) = 2,075
    >> Detailed Results

 

* Floor Notes
__________________
Great cheering in the O2 Arena:
First World Championship  title on floor by the British European champion Elizabeth TWEDDLE, who after her missed uneven-bar chance kept her nerves even as the starting gymnast.
Also for the first time an Australian becomes vice world champion - Lauren MITCHELL, while Ana PORGRAS (ROU) came on fifth place only!
Bronze medal went to the Chines SUI, Li.
Even though noted with the highest pre-competition score (Myzdrikova): Russia remains again medalless on the floor since Chorkinas times (- last Bronze-medal 2001, Ghent).

*  ... look also to  >> WCh History Floor Exercises

* ... read more at the  >> Men's Finals
* Janssen-Fritsen congratulates all winners and medallists!