By Vera Atkinson FIG Editor.
LAST SETS OF MEDALS
Tuesday, 19 August 2008 - 18:00 local time.
Men's P. Bars
6 countries represented in the Final: x2 CHN and KOR; x1 RUS, UZB, SLO, GER. 2004 Olympic Champion Valery Goncharov UKR- did not qualify in Beijing.
The Koreans Yoo Wonchul and Yang Taeyoung and the Chinese Huang XU performed the most difficult exercises in the Qualifications SV 7.00.
he fact that only 0.375 separate all eight finalists together with the narrow margin in Difficulty, indicates that this will be a hard fought final between the greats on P. Bars. Another indication of the level of this competition is the fact that Valery Goncharov UKR, the Athens' Olympic Champion with a score of 16.000 failed to make the final.
The pundits may favour LI Xiaopeng CHN and Yoo Wonchul KOR, but aficionados will be hoping for success for Kryukov RUS, his team's long serving 'saver'. And Petkovsek, the Slovenian World and European Champion.
Men's High Bar
7 countries represented in the Final: x2 JPN; x1- GER, ITA, FRA, NED, CHN, USA. 2004 Olympic Champion Igor Cassina- in contention in Beijing.
Since qualifying in Competition 1 Fabian Hambuechen GER has fallen twice from the apparatus on which he is the 2007 World Champion; it is to be hoped that this young star has recaptured his normal equilibrium for this Final.
0.750pts. separate the qualification scores and 0.7 separates the difficulty scores of this vastly experienced and successful group.
The strongest challengers to the young German star will be Olympic 2004 Champion Igor Cassina ITA and the emerging Dutch star Epke Zonderland.
Women's Beam
6 countries represented in the Final: x2 CHN, USA and RUS; x1- ROU, JPN. 2004 Olympic Champion Catalina Ponor ROM.
Only one qualifier with a score of above 16.00 - LI Shanshan CHN, 16.125, but subsequently in the Team competition Shawn Johnson USA scored 16.125 and Nastia Liukin USA, equalized this in the Individual All-around Final.
Anna Pavlova RUS, who after a superb qualifying competition has had little success in her other Finals (All-around, Vault and Floor) has the best chance to medal. Whatever the eventual outcome, it will be a wonderful day for Japan enjoying their first Women's Olympic Final for 24 years.
MEN'S TRAMPOLINE FINAL
6 countries represented in Beijing: x2 CHN and RUS; x1 UKR, JPN, CAN, BLR. 2004 Olympic Champion Yuri Nikitin UKR- in contention.
- 2.70 pts. Difference between 1st and 8th positions in the Qualifications.
- Only China represented by two competitors LU Chunlong and DONG Dong.
- Youngest competitor Dmitry Ushakov RUS, 20.
- Two competitors over 30 years of age - Mikail Kazak BLR, 31 and Yuri Nikitin UKR, 30.
Lu Chunlong was the clear winner in the Qualifications with 72.40pts, leaving DONG Dong CHN in second, 0.700pts behind, and Dmitry Ushakov RUS, in third 0.900 behind.
Burnett CAN, who tied LU Chunlong CHN with 41.2 for 1st place in the second exercise in the Qualification event, will undoubtedly have the biggest influence on the Final. As the World record holder in Difficulty 18.6 he has the capacity to raise his Difficulty level (already the highest at 16.6), thus forcing the Chinese to have to do the same.
Ushakov RUS, Dong Dong CHN, and Sotomura JPN are all true stylists and will rely heavily on their execution scores. However, it has to be understood that only the best of the very best qualified for this Final.
