Gymnast Son Yeon-jae placed 9th at Minsk World Cup

Korean rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae was placed ninth overall in the individual World Rhythmic Gymnastics Cup at the Minsk Sports Palace, Belarus, Saturday.

Son earned a total of 109.725 points, scoring 28.050 using the hoop, 26.300 for the ball, 27.250 with the club and 28.125 in the ribbon. Although she failed to reach the final for the all-around competition, contested by just the top eight, the 18-year-old made it to the final for the individual hoop and ribbon events finishing sixth and seventh in those categories respectively.

Russia’s Yevgeniya Kanayeva was the overall leader with 118.650 points and the 2008 Beijing Olympics individual gold medallist is the favorite for the London Olympics.

Despite impressive performances in the hoop and ribbon, Son dropped the ball when trying to catch it behind her back and ended awkwardly, out of sync with the music after picking it up off the mat. Her club display wasn’t good enough to offset the mistake.

“Although Son didn’t reach the final due to the Russians’ dominance, her rank is practically eighth regarding the fact that only two from each country will participate in the Olympics,” an official from IB Sports, the Korean gymnast’s agency, said in a media interview.

The result means a lot to Son just before she heads to the London Olympics. Reducing potential mistakes will be critical if she is to vie for a medal. At the Summer Games, 24 gymnasts will participate in the all-round section and only half will make it to the finals.

In April, Son impressed local fans by winning the nation’s first bronze medal at a World Cup gymnastics meet in Penza, Russia, raising hopes for a medal at the Summer Games.

Son, who qualified for the Olympics by finishing 11th in the individual all-around at last year’s World Championships, will compete for the nation’s first medal in the gymnastics in London.

via Gymnast Son placed 9th at Minsk World Cup.