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Russia overcame a shaky start on the first apparatus to win the gold medal in the group all-around rhythmic gymnastics event on Sunday, doing the double in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The nation had already taken the gold and silver medals in the individual competition, and despite a disappointing ribbon routine, Russia bounced back on the second apparatus to secure another gold medal. Spain led the way in qualifying and after the first apparatus but had to settle for silver, while Bulgaria took bronze.
Here's a look at the medallists and their final scores:
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Russia | Spain | Bulgaria | |
| Scores | 36.233 | 35.766 | 35.766 |
Russia took home the gold and silver medals during the individual final on Saturday, with Margarita Mamun and Yana Kudryavtseva dominating their opponents. Unsurprisingly, they entered the group final as the clear favourites for the gold.
The Russians didn't start the final the way they would have wanted, however. Spain, the highest scorers in qualifying, opened the first apparatus with a 17.800, and Russia, performing third, could only manage a 17.600 despite opting for the exact same difficulty.
Their execution just wasn't on point, which was highlighted even more when the Italians came within less than 0.1 of their score shortly after despite opting for a lower difficulty.
Ukraine couldn't replicate their feat, and Belarus greatly disappointed in the ribbon apparatus, scoring only a 17.283 that left the team with a lot of work to do to finish in the medals. Bulgaria impressed with a 17.700 to end the ribbon apparatus, and with the three clubs and two hoops still to go, the medal race was wide-open.
The All Around shared the scores after the first apparatus, with Russia sitting in third:
Spain continued their push for gold with a fine showing on the second apparatus, scoring 17.966. But the Russians pulled out all the stops, flashing their incredible talent with an 18.633 for a routine with a difficulty of 9.400.
CBS News' Christina Ruffini was impressed:
Italy and Belarus also managed to crack the 18-point mark with solid routines, but no one came anywhere close to the Russian score. Bulgaria finished things off with an 18.066, enough to secure the bronze medal, while Spain grabbed the silver.
Russia's Margarita Mamun took home the gold in the individual all-around rhythmic gymnastics portion of the 2016 Summer Olympics on Saturday, taking advantage of a key mistake from compatriot Yana Kudryavtseva.
Kudryavtseva led the field entering the third round of competition, the clubs apparatus, but dropped her last toss to open the door for Mamun. Ukraine's Ganna Rizatdinova earned the bronze.
Here's a look at Saturday's medallists and their final scores:
| Gold | Silver | Bronze | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Margarita Mamun, RUS | Yana Kudryavtseva, RUS | Ganna Rizatdinova, UKR | |
| Score | 76.483 | 75.608 | 73.583 |
The Russian duo of Kudryavtseva and Mamun entered the final as the two favourites for the gold, and they both got their routines off to a good start. Mamun scored 19.050 on the hoops, and her compatriot did even better, opting for a slightly higher difficulty to take the lead.
Plenty of casual fans tuned in to watch the final, and understandably, a lot of them were confused. So was journalist Jessica Luther:
#RhythmicGymnastics is unreal -- how does it work
— Jessica Luther (@scATX) August 20, 2016
Melitina Staniouta of Belarus came closest to the two favourites with a solid routine and an 18.200 score until Rizatdinova got her turn. She too managed an 18.200, as her execution was far from perfect.
Mamun was expected to dominate the ball routine and opted for a high difficulty, a 9.650, but her execution wasn't as perfect as we've grown accustomed to. Her final score of 19.150 left her in second place, as Kudryavtseva put together a stunning routine for a score of 19.250.
Staniouta continued her fine form with an 18.250, and Korea's Son Yeon Jae did even better, taking control of third place. Rizatdinova was still to come, and she clocked a solid 18.450, as the race for bronze heated up.
The Russian favourites were untouchable, however. Mamun opened the clubs apparatus with a 19.050, but Dawn Rhodes of the Chicago Tribune thought she looked more nervous than her compatriot:
Kudryavtseva opted for a lower difficulty and managed only a 17.883, missing her final toss to fall well behind Mamun. Rhodes couldn't believe it:
Staniouta also fell short, managing only a 16.633 to hurt her medal chances. Son clocked an 18.300, and Rizatdinova ensured the final apparatus would be a thrilling competition with an 18.450.
Mamun rounded off her performance with a 19.233 in the ribbon apparatus, all but guaranteeing the gold medal with a final score of 76.483. Kudryavtseva salvaged silver with a 19.250, and Rizatdinova grabbed bronze with a score of 18.843.
