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China extend their dominance from Cheng's vault gold(Xinhua)Updated: 2006-10-21 16:52China 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 medalists 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. |
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