Rotation 2: |
Jordan Jovchev is his own world power on rings. A deserved 9.787 for his
powerful routine.
A full-twisting Kasamatsu (9,4) puts Steve McCain in
first place.
Marian Dragulescu (ROM) takes a small step on his
handspring-double front with ba ½ twist.
Two Russians characterise Sean
Townsends pommel horse routine, but his poor form will cost him valuable
tenths.
Yerimbetov (KAZ) puts in another brilliant routine on
bars. He takes the lead with 9,387.
Zapf is solid on bars with a double front between the
rails as a highlight.
Hamm dances between around the pommels without the
slightest problem to a 9,312.
Bondarenko fights his way to 9,15 on rings.
Ivan Ivankov (BLR) throws everything away by messing
upon his handstand dismount at the end of a lovely routine (8,825). |
Paul Hamm
|
|
Current standings: |
|
13. Zapf |
GER |
17,787 |
|
|
|
1. |
Yerimbetov |
KAZ |
18,974 |
2. |
Dragulescu |
|
ROM |
18,937 |
3. |
Hamm |
USA |
18,737 |
|
Rotation 3: |
|
Abel Drigg (CUB) messes up his high bar
routine and is out of the first third of the ranking list.
Alexei Bondarenko (RUS) is able to come up with a
Tsukahara double pike (10 SV) on vault but puts his hands down.
<<< Dragulescu (ROM) collapses to one rail on bars and later falls again.
Meanwhile, Yerimbetov (KAZ) goes for security on high bar (9,35).
Sean Towsend (USA) scores an impressive 9,437 on
rings.
His team mate Paul Hamm shows two linked
Guzoghys.
Stephan Zapf (GER) stays clean on high bar with a
Kovacs and a double twisting double dismount but can only score 8,712 due to lack of
difficulty.
Feng Jing (CHN) moves up the ranks with a
demonstration of Chinese artistry on bars (9,612).
Ivan Ivankov (BLR) finally finds back to his old
strength on rings with a 9,612. |
Jordan Jovchev (BUL) is very lucky to score a 9,337 for a
crooked Tsukahara with two twists on vault. Eric Lopez (CUB)
is even a bit better than Ivankov on rings.
McCain (USA) loses ground with a mediocre performance
on bars. |
Current standings: |
|
14. Zapf |
GER |
26,499 |
|
|
1. |
Yerimbetov |
KAZ |
28,324 |
2. |
Hamm |
USA |
28,099 |
3. |
Feng |
CHN |
28,037 |
|
Rotation 4: |
Yerimbetov (KAZ) opens on floor with a double
double, he has small problems sticking his 2 ½ twist. He cant pull anything
spectacular in his final tumble (8,937).
Bondarenko (RUS) falls from bars no longer a
surprise.
Paul Hamm (USA) nails a textbook Tsukahara with two
twists (9,337).
Stephan Zapf (GER) performs very well on floor for his
standard, ending with a double salto (9,025).
Feng Jing (CHN) has no breaks on his high bar routine
and is looking to be in contention for a medal all of a sudden after a 9,462.
Ivankov (BLR) vaults himself to a 9,4 with a Tsukahara
with a double twist.
Jordan Jovchev (BUL) stays in the running with a solid
routine on bars highlighted by two double saltos (9,15).
Dragulescu is magic on high bar with spectacular
releases.
Townsend scores 9,387 for a handspring doiuble
front.
Feng Jing (CHN) is the surprising leader after this
rotation. |
Yang, Tae-Young (KOR)
|
|
Current standings: |
|
13.
Zapf |
GER |
35,524 |
|
|
1. |
Feng |
CHN |
37,499 |
2. |
Hamm |
USA |
37,436 |
3. |
Towsend |
USA |
37,373 |
|
Rotation 5: |
Zapf (GER) only has a samll break on his
dismount through handstand (9,025).
Feng Jing flies across the mat seemlingly effortlessly
and lands at 9,237.
|
<<< Ivan Ivankov (BLR) does some catching up with the best rotuine on bars so far (9,687).
At the same time, Jovchev positions himself well for
the final rotation and his speciality floor with a 9,287 on high bar.
Dan Potra (ROM) shows a dream of a routine on pommel
horse (9,5).
Marian Dragulescu throws a huige amount of diffculty
on floor, including a 1 ½ punch front and double double (9,637).
Despite a step on his landing on bars Sean Townsend
(USA) scores a 9,65 to enter the final rotation as leader.
Yerimbetov (KAZ) creeps back up the rankings with a
9,2.
Bondarenko falls again, this time from high bar. The
former European champion is now last!
Paul Hamm moves into thrid place with a stable routine
on bars (9,112). |
|
Current standings: |
|
13. Zapf |
GER |
44,549 |
|
|
1. |
Towsend |
USA |
47,023 |
2. |
Feng |
CHN |
46,786 |
3. |
Hamm |
USA |
46,548 |
|
Rotation 6: |
Jovchevs
final routine is spectacular, powerful and precise (9,687). He takes the lead with 56,085
points.
Eric Lopez (CUB) has a few small
mistakes in his unusual high bar routine (9,237).
He is overtaken by Dan Potra (ROM)
who clocks 9,5 for a strong rings routine.
McCain (USA) has a disaster on
pommels, after a fall he labours through to a 7,187.
Dragulescu (ROM) flies to a 9,55 and
current second place.
Sean Townsend (USA) sucumbs to his
nerves on high bar, missing his Kovacs twice. The audience cheers his triple flyaway put
Seans face tells the true story.
Bondarenko finally struts his stuff
on floor. His elegant style takes it to 9,675.
Yerimbetov gives away a medal with a
8,15 on rings.
Hamm goes down on a full-twisting
Kovacs Amerika mourns. Hamm catches his other releases, but no medal.
Zapf receives a 9,237 for rings
routine with a few wobbles and makes up for his disappointing showing in prelims.
Jordan Jovtchev
|
Feng Jing
|
The gold will be decided between Ivankov on high
bar and Feng Jing on pommel horse.
The Chinese is incredibly sure on
pommel horse. His legs open a little on his Russians but he regains composure immediately.
He takes away a generous 9,425. Will it be enough?
Ivankov earns a huge ovation for a
piked Kovacs. He catches his second Kovacs very close to the bar, resulting in a break. He
almost has to restart. He totally nails his double double dismount and thrusts his arms in
the air.
Another huge ovation rocks the arena. Ivankov thinks hes won it. The
scoreboard confirms it: 9,6 and second place ahead of Bulgarias Jovchev. The
audience boos and whistles, a lot of people leave the arena prior to the victory ceremony
demonstrating their anger with thei unfair gesture.
Conclusion:
18-year-old Feng Jing. In an exciting, sometimes even dramatic
comeptition, he kept his cool and made no mistakes. Crowd favourite Ivan Ivankov, however,
obviously coudlnt cope with the pressure and threw the gold away on pommel horse.
Jordan Jovchev must have bluffed in prelims, otherwise he wouldnt have scored 1,6
points more today. The Americans fall is dramatic. Coming into the competition as
co-favourites, they lost it in the crucial moment on high bar.
Yernar Yerimbetov was the surprise of the competition. The young Kazakh made it all
the way to sixth place. |
Current
standings: |
|
16. Zapf |
GER |
53,786 |
19. Kwiatkowski |
53,161 |
1. |
Feng |
CHN |
56,211 |
2. |
Ivankov |
BLR |
56,124 |
3. |
Yovtchev |
BUL |
56,085 |
|
>>
back to B-GROUP (qualified 17 - 32) (Report: Reinhard Linder; Translations: Nora
Schuler;
Photos: Don Johnson,
Web editors: Eckhard Herholz/Sonja SchmeisserGermany) |