By Vera Atkinson FIG Editor.

RUSSIA WINS THIRD OLYMPIC TITLE AND CHINA CELEBRATE SILVER

Beijing (CHN) BTG FIG Office, August 24, 2008: It was a beautiful conclusion to a very strong competition, which saw Russia winning their third Olympic Gold medal (35.550) and China breaking into the Club of the medal winning nations with the Silver (35.225).

The leaders in the Qualification round, Belarus, had to settle for the Bronze (34.900), Italy, Bulgaria, Israel, Azerbaijan and Ukraine took positions fourth to eight in the final ranking.

Russia (Aliychuk, Gavrilenko, Gorbunova, Posevina, Shkurikhina and Zueva), who scored highest for both routines (5 ropes- 17.750 and 3hoops/2 pairs of clubs- 17.800) was awarded also the highest score seen in the competition, 9.400pts- for Artistry of their second routine.

China was sitting in third position after the first round, but moved into second after a faultless hoops/clubs exercise, choreographed to 'Peking Opera' music. Their silver medal is the Olympics first, not only for their country, but also for Asia.

The silver medallists from Athens, Italy presented two excellent routines with perfect synchronisation between the gymnasts with a strong, dramatic touch in their choreography.

Bulgaria, Olympic Bronze medallist four years ago, still impress with their apparatus handling skills and taking high risk during exchanges; but although faultless, did not receive high enough scores for difficulty and execution.

Olympic debutant Israel and Azerbaijan took sixth and seventh positions, followed by the young Ukrainians, in eight.