Kabayeva misses sweep

Russian takes 4 of 5 rhythmic golds

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Posted: Saturday July 25, 1998 12:43 AM

With five medals, Kabayeva is the most decorated athlete of the 1998 Goodwill Games AP

NEW YORK (CNN/SI) – Russia’s Alina Kabayeva, gold medalist in Thursday night’s rhythmic gymnastics all-around competition, continued her dominance at the 1998 Goodwill Games, winning three of four individual events on Friday evening at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

Kabayeva expanded her gold medal collection by winning hoop, clubs and ribbon. Yelena Vitrichenko of the Ukraine, the defending world champion, edged the gold medal in rope with a 9.908 score. Kabayeva took the silver medal in the rope event with a score of 9.900.

"It was very hard to maintain my focus," said Kabayeva of winning the all-around. "The first event this evening, rope, was very difficult, and I finished second. But it got easier. I knew I just had to concentrate and put it together, and I did it. I’ve had a very successful Goodwill Games. I couldn't be happier."

With the five medals, Kabayeva is the most decorated athlete of the 1998 Goodwill Games. She missed a sweep of all five golds in rhythmic by .008.

Gymnastics continues Saturday afternoon with the preliminaries of the mixed pairs competition, featuring two-person teams of one male and one female gymnast. The 14-team field will be narrowed to eight for the mixed pair finals on Sunday afternoon. Sunday evening’s festive gymnastics gala concludes Goodwill Games gymnastics competition.

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