China extended their superiority all through the championships
starting from Cheng Fei's vault gold on Friday following their two
team's honors and men's all-around at the gymnastics world
championships in Aarhus of Denmark.?
Cheng spearheaded China's sweep of gold of the night by earning
an average score of 15.712 points after two vaults to eclipse
Alicia Sacramone of the United States, the silver taker with
15.325, and Germany's 31-year-old evergreen Oksana Chusovitina, the
third with 15.100. All three medallists from the 2005 Melbourne
worlds again reach the podium.
???
"I changed my plan when I just came to vault as the last to
perform. My coach told me to give up the two and half twisting
instead to pick up the two twisting, so I think my coach don't like
me to venture. When I prepared to start the second vault, all the
spectators applauded me to wait for the jump named after me. I
thank them for cheering up for me and I am so happy to win again,"
said Cheng.
???
"I felt it is one of my best vaults and I am really pleased I'm
getting better and better," said Sacramone.
???
"Sticks are hard to do, I'm working on it though. I want to work on
better blocks up the horse and landings."
???
Sacramone became just the second U.S. woman to claim a world silver
in vault after Brandy Johnson finished second in 1989.
???
Chusovitina won her first world medal after being granted
nationality of Germany earlier this month after previously
competing for Uzbekistan.
???
"I am a very special gymnast. I win medals for three different
countries, Soviet Union first and Uzbekistan second and now it's
Germany. I want to thank those who helped me when I was in trouble
for my son's illness, so I am so eager to win for Germany,"
Chusovitina said.
???
"I am strong and I could possibly compete in London Olympics,"
Chusovitina said jokingly. "I think the young gymnasts should be
afraid of me. I got a family and has a seven-year-old son and I
have everything now."
???
China have swept six golds out of nine on offer by now and have the
Chinese anthem sound up all through the championships. "Chinese,
Chinese and again Chinese" is what a Eurosports TV reporter said to
Xinhua.
???
China's Xiao Qin managed to defend his pommel horse title with
superb swirling and steady landing before his teammate in team gold
Chen Yibing was crowned the lord of rings in the strongmen's
apparatus.
???
The only setback for China is Zhang Nan, the beam leading
qualifier, injured herself in training and could probably miss the
final on Saturday.
(Xinhua News Agency October 21, 2006)
