Rhythmic Gymnastics Day 2 Review: Qualifications wrapped up, final showdown coming

(BEIJING, 22 August) -- Day two of the Olympic Rhythmic Gymnastics competition saw 10 individual finalists and eight group finalist surface as the qualification round wrapped up on Friday, August 22, at the Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium.

Individual All-Around

European All-Around champion Evgeniya Kanaeva of Russia enters the All-Around finals with the highest score from the qualification round (74.075).

She impressed judges with the two most difficult routines on day two of the competition, which saw gymnasts perform with Ribbon and Clubs.

Kanaeva's teammate Olga Kapranova, a decorated world champion, followed with a final All-Around qualification score of 72.900 points.

If either Russian gymnast wins the All-Around finals, it will be the third consecutive All-Around Olympic gold medal for the country.

Ukraine's Anna Bessonova rounds off the top three She is the only Athens 2004 medalist competing at Beijing 2008 and performed two powerful routines, earning her a score of 72.825 points.

The other seven finalists are Inna Zhukova of Belarus, Aliya Yussupova of Kazakhstan, Natalia Godunko of Ukraine, Aliya Garayeva of Azerbaijan, Irina Risenzon of Israel, Simona Peycheva of Bulgaria and Almudena Cid of Spain.

Group All-Around

Belarus held on to the highest score in day two of competition, which saw groups perform with two Clubs and three Hoops. Their performance to Bolero earned the current Group world silver medalist 34.950 points.

Russia improved their standings and head into finals behind Belarus with 34.700 points. The world champions and Athens 2004 and Sydney 2000 gold medalists struggled during day one of qualifications, but managed to impress the judges with a near-flawless routine on Friday, August 22.

The Chinese group gymnasts were not as precise as they were in the first day of qualifications but managed to finish in third place with 34.525 points. Athens 2004 silver and bronze medalists Italy and Bulgaria rounded off the top five.

The last three finalists are Ukraine, Israel and Azerbaijan.