Khorkina gets it right, at last

SYDNEY, SEPT. 24. After an Olympics filled with disappointment, Russia's Svetlana Khorkina was finally able to crack a smile after successfully retaining her asymmetric bars gold medal on Sunday.

Khorkina, who saw the team and individual all-round gold medals disappear after disastrous errors on her signature event, came back with a vengeance, recording a winning mark of 9.862. The Olympic, world and European champion, Khorkina has not lost a major competition on the apparatus since 1994.

China took the other two places on the podium, Ling Jie grabbing the silver with 9.837 and Yang Yun the bronze (9.787).

Hungarian Szilveszter Csollany stole gold in the men's rings when he put in an amazing display of strength and stamina in the final performance of the day.

Csollany, the silver medallist at Atlanta, was the only man capable of bettering Greece's Dimosthenis Tampakos, after doing an impressive routine which ended with a double somersault and perfect landing.

But Csollany looked dangerous from his opening rigid headstand and them drew applause as he slowly lowered his body horizontally to display the strength the judges were looking for.

The blond Hungarian gymnast, who now lives and trains in the U.S., knew he had the gold as when he landed and so did the crowd which began a slow clap. Csollany posted a 9.850, with the Swiss judge awarding a 9.9, to overtake Tampakos.

The Greek took the silver with a score of 9.762, while Bulgarian Jordan Jovtchev took the bronze with 9.737.

Latvia's Igors Vihrovs stunned the field in the men's floor event, his first major championship win and a big leap after his 34th at the 1999 World championships.

Russia's Alexei Nemov, world champion and bronze medallist in Atlanta, had been leading the competition until Vihrovs took to the floor and executed an almost flawless routine to score 9.812. Nemov took silver on 9.8 and Bulgaria's Jordan Jovtchev bronze with 9.787.

Romania's Maruis Urzica won the men's pommel horse gold medal after a perfect routine. The silver medal went to Eric Poujade of France and the bronze to Alexei Nemov of Russia.

Elena Zamolodtchikova of Russia bagged the vault gold while the silver went to Romania's Andrea Raducan. The bronze was clinched by Ekaterina Lobazniouk of Russia.

- Reuters

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