By Vera Atkinson FIG Editor.

PREVIEW RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS FINALS

INDIVIDUALS
Saturday, August 23, 2008- 18:00pm.

• Olympic Champions up to date: Lori Fung CAN 1984, Marina Lobach USSR 1988, Alexandra Timoshenko CEI 1992, Ekaterina Serebrianskaya UKR 1996, Yulia Barsukova RUS 2000, Alina Kabaeva RUS 2004
• Top 10 in the Final: Evgenia Kanaeva RUS, Olga Kapranova RUS, Anna Bessonova UKR, Inna Zhukova BLR, Alija Yussupova KAZ, Natalia Godunko UKR, Alija Garaeva AZE, Irina Risenson ISR , Simona Peycheva BUL, Almudena Cid Tostado ESP.
• Four routines to perform: rope, hoop, clubs and ribbon
  In spite of her big mistake with the rope in the Qualifications the 2008 European Champion Kanaeva RUS, managed to top the list, 1.175pts ahead of the 2005 world champion Kapranova.

Kanaeva's advantage is not only the highest Difficulty of all her routines, but also her impeccable, 'Tchachina-standard' body movement line, complimented with serine, warm personality.

Very much respected coach Vera Shtanbaum, who led Irina Tchachina to her 'Princess' status in Athens (silver medal), could celebrate a Queen this time...

If the current World Champion, regal Anna Bessonova increases her Difficulty in the Final, (as stated in a quote after the Qualifications), then Olga Kapranova should be very careful and faultless.

These three will most probably shield the podium and it will be a true sensation if someone else could reach it.

GROUPS
Sunday, August 24, 2008, 11.00pm.

• Olympic Champions up to date: Spain 1996, Russia 2000, Russia 2004.
• Top 8 in the Final: Belarus, Russia, China, Italy, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Israel, Azerbaijan.
• One routine with 5 ropes and a second routine with 3 hoops and 2 pairs of clubs.

It will be a tough, close and beautiful final! The Groups have been unanimously recognized as the big attraction of this Olympic tournament and the Final will look better than a Gala.

Belarus, 4th in Athens - in excellent form; 'cleanest of the clean', as always, but also with incredible improvement in Difficulty (their rope routine in particular).
Twice Olympic Champions Russia may have messed their ropes a day ago, but will certainly try not to do it again.

China, 9th in Athens, hugely improved and motivated to medal. Should this happen, then Asia will mark its first- time presences on the Olympic rostrum.
Italy, 2004 Olympic Silver medallists, will rely on their experience and on their traditionally very original choreography.

Bulgaria, 2004 Bronze medallists, had to 'swallow' the 5th position in the Qualifications, but their dynamics and virtuosity in handling apparatus could serve them better in the Final.