(Reuters) – China won the gold medal in the Olympic rhythmic gymnastics group all-around final on Saturday in a sport that has for decades been dominated by eastern European countries, mainly Russia, Belarus and Ukraine.
Israel took silver and Italy bagged bronze at the Port de La Chapelle Arena. It marked the first time former Soviet countries have not been on the podium since they boycotted the Los Angeles 1984 Games.
China, which was awarded 69.800 points in total, took the lead early in with a 36.950 hoop score, with athletes clad in glittering black and gold leotards and tiaras moving in near-perfect synchrony to make difficult leap and tumbles.
The team began their ribbon and ball routine with Chinese string music, at one point holding three ribbons taut and plucking them like they were on a guqin, a traditional instrument.
After a mesmerising two-and-a-half minutes filled with turns, acrobatics and quick pirouettes, China scored 32.850 in that routine.
“We wanted to showcase Chinese culture,” Sun Dan told reporters. “We have been looking for this moment for a long time.
China’s gold medal, its first in rhythmic gymnastics, nudged the country’s overall gold medals across the Games up ahead of the United States.
“I’m so happy to know we have the most gold medals at the Olympics,” Sun added.
This was also Israel’s first group all-around medal. Linoy Ashram made history in Tokyo when she won her country’s first medal in the sport, a gold in individual all-around.
The women from Italy sashayed — backs straight, wearing glittering black, blue and green leotards with their heads held high — onto the platform in perfect lock-step to perform their hoop routine, scoring 36.100 points. They were awarded 32.000 in the ball and ribbon round to the sound of “L’estasi dell’oro'” by Italian composer Ennio Morricone.
Italy have medalled in rhythmic gymnastics four times, including the bronze Sofia Raffaeli won on Friday in the individual all-around event.
