Israel earns sixth place finish in group gymnastics

Team amasses total of 32.100 points to finish in the highest position ever for an Israeli group at the Olympics.

By ALLON SINAI
Israeli gymnastics 224.8 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Israeli gymnastics 224.8
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Israel's Rhythmic Gymnastics team finished the group competition in an excellent sixth position in the final day of the Olympics in Beijing yesterday. Katerina Pisetsky, Alona Dvornichenko, Raheli Vigdorchik, Veronika Vitenberg and Maria Savenkov scored 16.050 in both their ropes, and hopes and clubs exercises, amassing a total of 32.100 points to finish in the highest position ever for an Israeli team at the Olympics. Israel's soccer team reached the quarterfinals at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. "It was amazing," Pisetsky said. "All the training, tears and pain were worthwhile. Sixth place is even better than what we had expected." Russia won its third straight Olympic gold medal in the all-around group competition. The team scored 35.550 on Sunday to edge China, which had 35.225 for the silver. Belarus got the bronze with 34.900. It marks a gold-medal sweep in the competition for Russia after Evgeniya Kanaeva won the individual event Saturday. It was China's first Olympic medal in the rhythmic team competition.