Jovtchev, Khorkina Shine at Gymnastics WorldsBulgaria's Jordan Jovtchev and Russia's elegant Svetlana Khorkina took the limelight by winning two gold medals each out of five individual apparatus finals at the World Gymnastics Championships Saturday in Ghent.Jovtchev, bronze medalist on floor and rings at Sydney Olympic Games, claimed victory on floor in 9.55 and on rings 9.775. Performing as the first gymnast in the final, Jovtchev scored high on floor while Romania's Marian Dragulescu who showed off as the last one, tied the top place for the same result - 9.55 points, ahead of Olympic champion Igor Vikhrovs from Latvia in 9.425. Jovtchev upset Hungary's Olympic champion Szilvester Csollany for his second gold on rings. Italy's Andrea Coppolino came in third. Jovtchev said:"This is my first time to win a gold medal at the worlds. And I have two within one day. I was ready for my success on floor but I was surprised to win on rings. It is really a surprise for me." Khorkina snatched her first ever world champion on vault, earning 9.412 points, beating Uzbekistan's veteran Oksana Chusovitina, winner on floor ten years ago and Romania's Andrea Raducan. Khorkina said:"I am a strong supporter on the new vault -- the Pegases. It makes me feel safer than ever before." The two-time Olympic champion on uneven bars dominated on her favorite apparatus for her second gold tonight and third of the competition after she crowned the all-around yesterday, earning 9.437. Renske Endel of the Netherlands came to second, becoming the first Dutch women's world medalist in history. Katie Heenan of the United States catpured a bronze. Romania's Marius Urzica smashed victory on men's pommel horse in 9.800 for his more diverse routine, edging China's Xiao Qin into second in 9.775. |
| People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/ |