Li Xiaopeng won gold in men's vault, parallel bars ( 2003-08-25 09:57) (Agencies)
China's Li Xiaopeng won gold in the world gymnastics championships men's
vault competition for the third time on Sunday.
Li Xiaopeng performs on the parallel
bars.
Defending champion Li, who was also world vault champion in 1999, scored a
remarkable average of 9.818 points from his two vaults.
The 2001 world championships gold medallist, Romanian Marian Dragulescu, took
silver this time with an average of 9.687.
Canadian Kyle Shewfelt, a bronze medal winner on the floor on Saturday,
claimed another third place in the vault, with 9.612.
China's Li retains parallel bars title at gymnastics
worlds
Chinese Li Xiaopeng won his second gold medal of the day when he
retained his parallel bars title at the 37th World Gymnastics Championships here
on Sunday.
Li, who captured the vault title one hour earlier with a pair of vaults
at a starting value of 10, scored the best of 9.825 points to retain the
parallel bars title. Li will compete later on the day in his third
event, also the closing day's last event, the horizontal bar.
Li, the only double gold medalist at 2002 world championships, on parallel
bars and vault, has already become the triple gold medalist at this year's
event, following China's victory in the men's team competition three days ago.
Li's compatriot Huang Xu and Russian veteran Alexei Nemov tied for the second
place with 9.762 points apiece.
Chinese Fan Ye wins balance beam gold
Chinese teenager gymnast Fan Ye won the women's balance beam gold medal at
the 37th World Gymnastics Championships here on Sunday.
Fan Ye, 17, who made her international debut, performed her routine with a
10-point start value to score 9.812 for the top honor after she produced the
highest qualifying score.
Romanian Catalina Ponor, who had the highest qualifying score on the floor,
got the silver medal with 9.587 points, while Russian Liudmila Ezhova settled
for the bronze medal with 9.550.
Three of the eight finalists fell from the beam, including all- around
champion Chellsie Memmel of the United States who placed sixth with
8.837.
