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Rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae wins four golds in Lisbon

April 7, 2014

Rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae won four titles at a World Cup stop in Portugal over the weekend. (Yonhap – Courtesy of IB Worldwide)

Korean rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae earned four titles, including the individual all-around gold medal, at a World Cup stop in Portugal over the weekend.

Son finished first in ball, clubs and ribbon events on Sunday at the FIG Rhythmic Gymnastics World Cup in Lisbon, a day after claiming the all-around title.

Son became the first South Korean rhythmic gymnast to win an individual all-around gold at a senior international event.

In the ball competition, Son earned 17.500 points to beat out Melitina Staniouta of Belarus, who had 17.400 points. In the clubs final, the South Korean scored 17.450 points, over Dina Averina of Russia (17.250). Finally in the ribbon event, Son had 17.150 points. Arina Charopa of Belrus finished second with 17.050 points.

Son finished third in the hoop on Sunday.

In the individual all-around on Saturday, Son scored 71.200 points in four apparatus — clubs, ribbon, hoop and ball — for the gold, more than three points higher than Staniouta.

Dating back to last season, Son has won at least a medal in seven consecutive World Cups. She is scheduled to compete in the next World Cup in Pesaro, Italy, starting on Friday.

“I am really pleased to have added gold medals in apparatus to my all-around title,” Son said. “I increased the intensity and difficulty of my training to compete with European gymnasts, and it paid off. It was really touching to hear our national anthem, and I hope to keep putting up good results in upcoming international competitions.”

Son, 19, finished fifth in individual all-around at the 2012 London Olympics, the highest Olympic finish by a South Korean rhythmic gymnast.