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Romania takes early lead Russians close behind at gymnastics worlds
Posted: Thursday October 14, 1999 07:49 PM
TIANJIN, China (AP) -- Andreea Raducan floated and Maria Olaru flew, overshadowing star teammate Simona Amanar as defending champion Romania took the lead Saturday in women's team qualifying at the World Gymnastics Championships. Russia, the 1997 runner-up, was a close second thanks to a saucy performance by defending individual champion Svetlana Khorkina, who sometimes appeared to be using conjuring tricks to flip from place to place. She gained the day's best score, 9.837, on the uneven bars. With 1997 bronze medalist China and a strong U.S. team yet to compete on Sunday, Romania led with 154.394 points to 153.576 for the Russians. The Romanians have lost 1997 triple gold medalist Gina Gogean to retirement, but Raducan stepped in serenely, scoring 9.812 on the balance beam and 9.800 in the floor exercises, where she sometimes seemed to barely touch the ground. Olaru's best was a 9.787 on the floor, but her consistency put her into the individual lead with 38.792 to 38.755 for Raducan. Khorkina, who also had 9.800 in the floor exercises, stood third with 38.699. Next came Amanar, the 1997 all-around silver medalist, who had 38.467 including 9.812 on the floor. Russians were fifth and sixth in the battle for the 36 qualifying places for the all-around. Elena Produnova had 38.429 and Elena Zamolodchikova 38.236. Their team came close to overtaking the Romanians, but both Produnova and Eugenia Kuznetsova were set back slightly by stepping out of bounds in ladings in their floor exercises. Ukraine stood third among the 31 teams that competed Saturday, with 151.970. Australia had 150.688, Spain 150.407, France 149.451, Italy 148.545, Britain 146.982, Japan 145.740 and the Netherlands 144.402. The Australians were ecstatic. Not only did they appear solidly into the top 12 teams that will qualify for the Olympics at home next year, they also saw a chance to reach the six-team medal round here. Aside from Romania, Russia and Ukraine, they also expected China and the United States to finish ahead of them in the 40-team women's field. Raducan, who has just turned 16, is competing in her first major senior event, but is Romania's best hope for the Olympics, said Romanian coach Maria Bitahg. "We hope to see a future star of Romanian gymnastics," Bitahg said, while noting that the 20-year-old Amanar still is scoring well. Olga Raschoupkina led Ukraine, the four-place team in 1997, with 37.811 points including a 9.775 on the balance beam. For Australia, Trudy McIntosh scored 38.042, earning 9.668 for a new vault that now will be named the "McIntosh." McIntosh, a 15-year-old who stands just 139 centimeters (4 feet, 6 3/4 inches) tall, was the first woman to perform the handspring front layout vault with full twist, said Liz Chetkovich, the team's media liaison. The Australian women's best previous finish was sixth in 1991, before Ukraine became a separate team with the breakup of the former Soviet Union. They were 11th at the 1997 World Championships. "The girls worked very close to their maximum," Chetkovich sai, adding that there was only half a mistake in 20 routines. France, the fifth-place team at the last world meet in 1997, had 37.930 points from Ludivine Furnon, who scored 9.750 in the floor exercises. Furnon's coach, Nelu Pop, said of the French team: 'We expected a lot, and they fulfilled our expectations. "Perhaps starting first is good. You don't stay under pressure... Now we can wait for the others. We did our job well," Pop said. Men's qualifying begins Sunday.
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