Bessonova Best at Rhythmic Worlds

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Ukrainian veteran Anna Bessonova snapped Russia's golden streak by taking the all-around title Friday at the 28th Rhythmic World Championships in Patras, Greece.

Bessonova, the silver medalist at the previous two world all-around finals and the 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, defeated Russian favorites Vera Sesina and Olga Kapranova to win her first major all-around title.

The 23-year-old Bessonova earned high scores on the rope, hoops and clubs, and the second-highest on the ribbon to edge Sesina (first with ribbon) by .05. Kapranova ranked third on all the apparatus except for hoop (seventh).

Earlier in the week, Sesina won gold medals for the ribbon and the rope and Kapranova won hoop and clubs.

Belarusian Inna Zhukova finished fourth ahead of Azerbaijan's Aliya Garayeva and Uzbekistan's Aliya Yusupova.

Canada's Alexandra Orlando finished ninth, matching Lori Fung's 1985 result for the best world finish for Canada.

Bessonova also won the Longines Prize for Elegance, earning a $5,000 check and a Longines watch.

The top 20 gymnasts in Friday's all-around final earned qualification slots for their nations at the 2008 Olympic Games. Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria and Israel can each send two gymnasts to Beijing; Kazakhstan, Canada, Spain, Greece, Austria, Poland, Korea and Estonia can each send one.

The FIG selected Xiao Yiming (China), Odette Richard (South Africa) and Naazmi Johnston (Australia) as Wild Card recipients based on continental representation. The IOC will determine the final Wild Card recipient.

External Link: Official Web Site

2007 World Championships of Rhythmic Gymnastics
September 21, Patras, Greece

All-Around Final
1. Anna Bessonova UKR 73.950
2. Vera Sesina RUS 73.900
3. Olga Kapranova RUS 70.700
4. Inna Zhukova BLR 69.175
5. Aliya Garayeva AZE 68.450
6. Aliya Yusupova KAZ 67.875
7. Irina Risenson ISR 66.225
8. Lyubov Charkashyna BLR 66.050
9. Alexandra Orlando CAN 65.950
10. Simona Peycheva BUL 65.850
11. Almudena Cid ESP 65.650
12. Eleni Andriola GRE 64.875
13. Dinara Gimatova AZE 64.400
14. Caroline Weber AUT 63.200
15. Elizabeta Paisiyeva BUL 63.175
16. Joanna Mitrosz POL 62.825
17. Soo Ji Shin KOR 62.700
18. Irina Kikkas EST 62.625
19. Irina Kovalchuk UKR 62.475
20. Neta Rivkin ISR 62.150
21. Ulyana Trofimova UZB 60.875
22. Johanna Gabor GER 59.700
23. Yiming Xiao CHN 59.600
24. Mzevinari Samukashvili GEO 58.550

International Gymnast Magazine Related Features
Kapranova on cover, 2005 World Championships coverage (December 2005)
"Hoop Dreams" - Peycheva profile
"Catching Up With...Maria Petrova" (November 2004)
Yusupova on cover (November 2004)
"Zhukova Renews Olympic Vow" - profile (April 2005)
"A New Leap for Belarus" - Zhukova profile (May 2002)

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