Seventy-six top rhythmic gymnasts from 16 countries and regions including newly crowned individual all-around world champion Anna Bessonova will compete at the 2007 Rhythmic Gymnastics International Invitational Tournament, an Olympic test event, slated for December 5. to December 7.

 

All top 10 group all-around teams and most of the top 20 individual all-around gymnasts at 2007 Patras World Championship will present in Beijing University of Technology Gymnasium, the same venue that will hold Olympic Games next year, rivaling for individual and group all-around medals.

 

Ukrainian Bessonova, bronze medalist in Athens Olympics, is the top favorite in this Olympic rehearsal. She reached peak of her career after claiming title of individual all-around at Patras, Greece.

 

Traditional powerhouse Russia sent their first-choice lineup which achieved all but one gold medals in Patras. Olga Kapranova finished third in the individual all-around event.

 

Local team China also fields their best gymnasts, with Xiao and Huang finishing third and fourth at 2006 Doha Asian Games. Winner of individual all-around in Doha, Aliya Yussupova of Kazakhstan will also attend this Olympic try-out.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 3, 2007)