New map of gymnastics world looms for Athens
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2004-07-29 15:00

The two-way gymnastics battle in Sydney Olympics between China and Europe, who split a total of 14 gold medals, will make room for more contenders in Athens.

"The United States and Japan would be major forces to compete with China and traditional European powerhouses in Athens," predicted Chinese head coach Huang Yubin, who led China to the world peak in the Anaheim World Championships last year.

Huang drew the conclusion from the 2003 World Championships which witnessed the rise of new forces the United States, the fallof traditional tycoon Russia, the glory of China and the revival of Japan.

The biggest surprise of the championships was hosts Team USA earning a whopping five gold and two silver medals to rank behind China only with fewer bronze medals. Their golds collection includes the two most-coveted ones, also their historic firsts -- the men's world all-around title by Paul Hamm and the women's world team title.

New forces

Considering the United States did not win a single world-class medal from 1997 through the 2000 Olympic Games, Team USA hopes that 2004 will be the highlight of their 180-degree turnaround since Sydney.

Hamm, who also won the world floor exercise crown, has secured an Olympic spot in domestic trials in June. Besides his ambitionson individual all-around and floor, he would lead the US team's charge for the men's team title.

Carly Patterson, women's all-around runner-up in the worlds, and Hollie Vise, world co-champion at the uneven bars, also have chances to make their Olympic marks.

Takehiro Kashima is a sweet surprise in Japan's renaissance. Japan did not even have a taste of medal in Sydney, but resurged in last year's championship to win horizontal bar and pommel horsetitles, both by the rising star.

Veteran Hiroyuki Tomita was competitive in men's all-around. Heand Kashima would spearhead Japan in the men's team competitions.

Brazil, who kept a low-profile in the arena, surfaces with its only title-contender Daiane Dos Santos. The black girl establishedher throne on floor in the championships and kept consolidating itin the following World Cup series.

As the South America's first and so far only world champion gymnast, the 21-year-old is one of Brazil's few chances for Olympic titles.

China becomes favorite as Europe falls

China and Russia, the two most successful teams at the Sydney Games, have since developed towards the opposite ends. While China continued its Sydney's three-gold momentum to top the world in Anaheim, Russia reached the nadir of its fortunes, reaping onlywomen's all-around title by veteran Svetlana Khorkina.

The European championships followed up Russia's waterloo in theworlds. After Romanians proved its dominance on Europe with nine out of 14 gold medals, it became clear that the once-powerful Russian team was in disarray.

Russia's two most famous and decorated gymnasts, Khorkina and Alexei Nemov, were beaten by younger and relatively unknown Romanians and Ukrainians in the all-around events. Though there istime for the Russians to recover, it would be hard for them to repeat the Sydney feat at the Athens Games.

But in women's competition, a rejuvenated Khorkina will show she is still a force to be reckoned with at the age of 25 as she won her sixth successive European uneven bars title in May.

As Asia and the United States catch up and Russia declines, European countries are not as strong. Romania, however, keeps itspredominance.

Marian Dragulescu is eager to repeat his imperious performance in the European Championships at the Olympics. He struck golds inthe team, all-round, vault and floor exercises to underline his strength.

In addition to the women team's solid performance as a whole, Catalina Ponor was considered successor to the retired diminutive star Andreea Raducan.

Hot favorite China is ready to top their historic run since 2000 with record-breaking titles in Athens. Media reports assumedChina could win five -- men's team, parallel bars and vault by Li Xiaopeng, pommel horse by Teng Haibin and women's beam by Fan Ye, the same as what they reaped in Anaheim.