Rivkin takes 7th in Olympic rhythmic gymnastics

Israeli gymnast Neta Rivkin performs well with clubs and ribbon; gymnastics team impresses to reach final round.

By JOSHUA HALICKMAN
Neta Rivkin 370 (photo credit: reuters)
Neta Rivkin 370
(photo credit: reuters)
LONDON – Neta Rivkin, participating in her second Olympic games, finished in 7th place overall in the Individual All- Around Rhythmic Gymnastics final on Saturday. In the qualification portion on Thursday, Rivkin had dropped the ball in her Apparatus Ball routine and seemed to have very little chance to make the finals.
However, a strong performance in the clubs and ribbon on Friday catapulted Rivkin into the medal hunt on Saturday.
Rivkin performed well again in the clubs routine finishing overall in 3rd place in that discipline with a score of 27.800, but took 9th place in the ball with 26.850, ribbon with 27.000 and hoop with 27.350 segments and finished with an all-around score of 109.000.
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Israel’s Rivkin booked her place at this summer’s Olympics last September, ending the All-Around competition at the World Championships in Montpellier, France in 10th position, comfortably achieving the Olympic Committee of Israel’s criteria after recording a result of 107.925 points.
“I believed in Rivkin and I promised that we would make two finals in London and we did it,” said Israel’s rhythmic gymnastics coach Ela Samofalov.
Today, Israel’s rhythmic gymnastics team will take part in the group final after ending qualification in seventh place overall on Friday with a score of 53.100.
Polina Zakaluzny, Viktoriya Koshel, Noa Palatchy, Moran Buzovski, Eliora Zholkovski and Marina Shults performed their three ribbons and two hoops routine to perfection on Friday and comfortably booked their place among the eight finalists.
All six members of the current team were not part of the side which finished in sixth place at the Beijing Games, but will be aiming to repeat their predecessors’ achievement on Sunday.
Also in the final day of the Olympics on Sunday, Zohar Zemiro takes part in the men’s marathon.
Zemiro seemed all but certain to miss out on the London Olympics after failing a drugs test.
However, the 35-year-old was given a huge let off in June when the Anti-Doping Committee of Israel court settled for a one month suspension and a reprimand after accepting Zemiro’s explanation that he tested positive for Terbutaline due to his use of an asthma inhaler.