Beth Tweddle - fourth best gymnast in the World!
 Beth
Tweddle (GBR), (20) took the fourth place in the Women’s
Individual All-around Final of the World Championships in
Melbourne on Friday, 25 Nov.
She not only improved the record of Holly Murdock from Ghent
2001 (14th place), but has now established herself as a world
star in the All-around, on Bars and Floor.
Beth’s scores: Vault 9.162, A. Bars 9.512, Beam 8.737,
Floor 9.525
The other British gymnast, debutant Shavahn Church, took
the 20th place.
(Vault 9.112, A. Bars 8.925 Beam 8.112 Floor 8.062)
“We are absolutely over the moon! Two British gymnasts
in the World Final - this is fantastic!”, said a very
happy President of British Gymnastics and HOD in Melbourne,
Brian Stocks. “It is an inspiring success before the
Commonwealth Games in March and in view of the 2008 Beijing
and 2012 London Olympic Games!”
Still more is to come! On Saturday, 26 Nov. Beth will compete
in the A. Bars Final and Imogen Cairns - in the Vault Final.
The last chance for Beth to medal will be on Sunday, 27 Nov-
in the Floor Final.
Chellsie Memmel wins the title
After the first rotation of the Women’s Individual
All-around Final (top 24), 0.387 separated the top eight gymnasts.
 In
the lead was Emilie Le Pennec (FRA), with a score of 9.512
for her A. Bars, on which she is the 2004 Olympic Champion;
followed by the 2000 Olympic Champion on Vault and Floor Elena
Zamolodchikova (RUS) and the 2003 World Champion and 2004
World Cup winner on A. Bars- Chellsie Memmel (USA). Both of
them used “Yurchenko double twist” as their Vault
-(SV 9.8), scores 9.350 and 9.325 respectively.
Next came Daniele Hypolito (BRA) with a very high Beam score
of 9.225, followed by three more gymnasts from the Vault group
-Monette Russo (AUS) 5th, Beth Tweddle (GBR) 6th, Nastia Liukin
(USA) 7th and Suzanne Harmes (NED), who started on A. Bars,
8th.
 In
Rotation 2, when the elite group performed on A. Bars, Memmel
took the lead from Liukin and Tweddle with 18.862. Audience’s
darling Russo moved into fourth place and Le Pennec dropped
to fifth after a fall from Beam. Two falls from the Bars ended
the challenge of Isabel Severino (FRA), as did a fall from
Zamolodchikova.
Liukin scored highest on this apparatus (9.587), compensating
for her relatively low fist score on Vault (9.137). Tweddle’s
A. Bars exercise (9.512) is unique, without intermediate swing
and four release and catches.
Rotation 3: Beam, always the most testing
piece, brought out the best and Liukin (9.587) took the lead
in this Rotation 0.024 ahead of Memmel and 0.400 ahead of
Russo, now delighting the home crowd, moved into third.
Lepennec moved into fourth with an excellent Floor routine
while Tweddle dropped to fifth after three wobbles and hop
after the dismount (SV 9.500).
The difference between first and eight had now increased
to 1.200 and it seemed that only the first five could challenge
for the medals.
The draw provided the Television with a perfect setting.
All the leaders were on Floor and in their competition order.
Each girl performed to their limit, and the scores reflect
the high standard of the tumbling and the artistry. However,
the end result will be debated for many years to come.
Both challengers for the title, Memmel and Liukin performed
routines with SV 10.00.
Memmel- rock steady and athletic (9.537), Liukin- rock steady
and graceful (9.512).
Difference in their final total scores - 0.001! Memmel- 37.824;
Liukin- 37.823.
Athleticism versus Artistry? Which direction should gymnastics
take?
14 years after the victory of Kim Zmeskal in Indianapolis
1991, Chellsie Memmel is bringing the World All-around crown
back to the USA.
Nastia Liukin celebrates her World début with
Silver.
The Bronze medal of Monette Russo reflects the progress of
Australian women’s gymnastics and is also a fitting
reward for the splendid organisation of the World Championships.
1. Chellsie Memmel (USA)- 37.824
2. Nastia Liukin (USA)- 37.823
3. Monette Russo (AUS)- 37.298
4. Beth Tweddle (GBR)- 36.936
5. Emilie Le Pennec (FRA)- 36.674
6. Florica Leonida (ROM)- 36.475
7. Anna Pavlova (RUS)- 36.387
8. Daria Bijak (GER)- 35.712
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