Seventy-six top rhythmic gymnasts from 16 countries and regions
including newly crowned individual all-around world champion Anna
Bessonova will compete at the 2007 Rhythmic Gymnastics
International Invitational Tournament, an Olympic test event,
slated for December 5. to December 7.
All top 10 group all-around teams and most of the top 20
individual all-around gymnasts at 2007 Patras World Championship
will present in Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, the
same venue that will hold Olympic Games next year, rivaling for
individual and group all-around medals.
Ukrainian Bessonova, bronze medalist in Athens Olympics, is the
top favorite in this Olympic rehearsal. She reached peak of her
career after claiming title of individual all-around at Patras,
Greece.
Traditional powerhouse Russia sent their first-choice lineup
which achieved all but one gold medals in Patras. Olga Kapranova
finished third in the individual all-around event.
Local team China also fields their best gymnasts, with Xiao and
Huang finishing third and fourth at 2006 Doha Asian Games. Winner
of individual all-around in Doha, Aliya Yussupova of Kazakhstan
will also attend this Olympic try-out.
(Xinhua News Agency December 3, 2007)