Chinese Women Win Universiade Team Gold

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Led by top all-around qualifier Fan Ye, the Chinese women successfully defended their title in Thursday's team competition at the World University Games, taking place in Bangkok.

Fan, who won the all-around gold medal at the 2005 Games in Izmir, Turkey, paced the Chinese women to a 0.40 victory over Ukraine. China won despite a disastrous performance on balance beam, where all four gymnasts fell at least once. The team earned the highest team total of the day on uneven bars and the second-best totals on vault and floor exercise.

Other members of the winning team were Zhang Nan, Zhou Zhuoru, Deng Ying and Huang Lu. Zhang, the 2004 Olympic all-around bronze medalist, was also a member of China's winning team at the 2005 Games. She and Zhou helped the Chinese women win their first world team title, at the 2006 World Championships in Aarhus, Denmark.

Olga Scherbatykh, who had the second-highest all-around total behind Fan, led Ukraine to the silver medal. Other members of the Ukrainian team included 2007 European all-around bronze medalist Alina Kozich, Marina Proskurina, Marina Kostyuchenko and European uneven bars champion Daria Zgoba. Zgoba's 15.800 on uneven bars and Scherbatykh's 15.700 on balance beam were the two top scores of the day. Ukraine had the highest team total of the day on balance beam.

Russia, which had the highest team total of the day on vault and floor exercise, matched its bronze medal-winning performance from 2005. Maria Chibiskova and two-time Olympian Yelena Zamolodchikova, both of whom competed at the previous Universiade, were the two highest-scoring Russian all-arounders. Other team members were Leysira Gabdrakhimanova, Alyona Polyan and Alyona Zmeu.

North Korea, which won the team silver medal in 2005, did not compete in Bangkok.

Judges included 1996 Olympic all-around silver medalist Gina Gogean of Romania, and 1986 Goodwill Games all-around champion Vera Kolesnikova of Russia.

The competition continues Friday with the men's team competition.

2007 World University Games
Bangkok, Thailand, July 9

Women's Team
1. China 174.70
2. Ukraine 174.30
3. Russia 173.30
4. Japan 165.85
5. Korea 153.45
6. Taipei 139.00
7. Thailand 134.15

All-Around Qualifications
1. Fan Ye CHN 58.25*
2. Olga Scherbatykh UKR 57.95*
3. Zhou Zhuoru CHN 57.95*
4. Alyona Polyan RUS 57.10*
5. Zhang Nan CHN 57.00
6. Manami Ishizaka JPN 56.80*
7. Yelena Zamolodchikova RUS 56.75*
8. Alina Kozich UKR 56.60*
9. Florica Leonida ROM 55.35*
10. Maria Chibiskova RUS 54.55
11. Erika Mizoguchi JPN 54.35*
12. Sakiko Okabe JPN 54.25
13. Tina Erceg CRO 53.20*
14. Fieke Willems NED 52.70*
15. Annamari Maaranen FIN 52.70*
16. Iyerida Mogollon MEX 52.65*
17. Katerina Maresova CZE 52.05*
18. Ursula Botha RSA 51.00*
19. Carmen Horvat SLO 50.90*
20. Su Jung Yeo KOR 50.65*
21. Hyo Bin Kim KOR 50.55*
22. Magaly Hars FRA 50.15*
23. Pi Hsuan Chiang TPE 48.30*
24. Natthakan Khanchai THA 48.00*
25. Julie Hansson NOR 47.95*
26. Carolyn Fyfe GBR 47.35*
27. Chun Min Chen TPE 47.05*
28. Kathrine Hansson NOR 46.45

* = qualifier for All-Around Final (limit of two gymnasts per country)

International Gymnast Magazine Related Features
Zhang and Zhou on cover with Chinese 2006 Worlds team (December 2006)
Fan on cover, profile and center poster (May 2005)
"Standout" - Zhang cover story (May 2004)
Zhang on cover photo collage (August/September 2003)
Zhang center poster (March 2003)
Zhou center poster (May 2006)
"An Eye For Detail" - Kostyuchenko profile (July/August 2006)
Kozich on cover (June 2007)
Kozich center poster (June/July 2004)
"Kozich Is Closing In" - profile (August/September 2002)
"Patience and Virtue" - Ukrainian team interview, including Kozich and Proskurina (November 2003)
Zgoba center poster (November 2005)
"Zamolodchikova Zooms Toward Athens" - profile (February 2004)
Zamolodchikova giant poster (April 2001)
"The Gym That Hope Built" - Zamolodchikova cover story (December 2000)
"Precocious Prospects" - Leonida cover story (February 2001)
"Catching Up With Vera Kolesnikova" – profile (June/July 2001)

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