Cheng Takes Third Gold

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China's Cheng Fei won the balance beam title, her third gold medal of the tournament, as the "Good Luck Beijing" competition concluded on Monday.

Cheng, who had qualified eighth to the final after falling in qualifications, won the gold despite a large wobble on her tucked full and watering down her usual triple-twisting dismount to a 2 1/2.

"I got a gold medal today, but I believe my strong points still lie in floor exercise and vault," she said. "But through today's competition, I gained confidence. Although balance beam is not my preferred apparatus, I am always ready to compete for the team."

Cheng said she doesn't plan to add more difficulty to her routines, and that her winter training will focus on her psychological stability.

"My biggest pressure comes from the younger athletes," she said. "They are improving rapidly, and at the same time, there is little room for me to improve. I really feel anxious about it."

Australia's Lauren Mitchell finished second, one tenth behind Cheng.

"Before the Olympics I'll just keep this difficulty and keep practicing," Mitchell said. "But after the Olympics I'll definitely improve it."

Top qualifier Chellsie Memmel won the bronze with 15.300.

Asia swept the medals in the two men's events on Monday. On parallel bars, China's Liang Mingsheng and Feng Zhe went 1-2. Korean veteran Yang Tae-Young won the bronze.

Korea's Kim Joo-Hoon won the high bar title over Japanese Yosuke Hoshi and Kazuhito Tanaka. World champion and top qualifier and Fabian Hambüchen fell on his dismount to finish seventh.

The rhythmic gymnastics portion of the event begins Wednesday in Beijing.

To watch streaming video from today's competition, click here.

For videos, photos and more, visit the official event Web site: http://www.gymnastics2007.org.cn

2007 "Good Luck Beijing" International Invitational
Dec. 3, Beijing

Balance Beam
1. Cheng Fei CHN 15.725
2. Lauren Mitchell AUS 15.600
3. Chellsie Memmel USA 15.300
4. Bridget Sloan USA 14.925
5. Dasha Joura AUS 14.675
6. Keiki Mukumoto JPN 14.500
7. Stefani Bisbikou GRE 14.025
8. Kristina Vaculik CAN 13.575

Parallel Bars
1. Liang Mingsheng CHN 15.800
2. Feng Zhe CHN 15.775
3. Yang Tae-Young KOR 15.750
4. Dmitry Kasperovich BLR 15.275
5. Yosuke Hoshi JPN 15.050
6. Fabian Hambüchen GER 15.000
7. Dmitry Gogotov RUS 14.400
8. Dmitry Savitsky BLR 12.450

High Bar
1. Kim Ji Hoon KOR 15.425
2. Yosuke Hoshi JPN 15.150
3. Kazuhito Tanaka JPN 15.000
4. Brian Gladow GER 15.000
5. Hamilton Sabot FRA 14.850
6. Dmitry Gogotov 14.575
7. Fabian Hambüchen GER 14.000
8. Kim Soo Myun KOR 13.750