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Rhythmic gymnasts achieve world best

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Rob Burgess 23 October 2001

GREAT BRITAIN set a new world record by finishing 10th in the team event at the 24th World Rhythmic Gymnastics Championships that concluded at the Royal Exhibition Complex in Madrid on Sunday. In doing so, Great Britain improved their ranking compared to the last World Championships in Osaka in 1999 by 22 places.

Under the guidance of Senior National Coach Nadia Alexandrova, the team comprised Rebecca Jose, Hannah McKibbin and Jacqueline Steinke.

FOLLOWING THE the team success, two British gymnasts, Jose and McKibbin, also made it through to the individual All-around finals - the first time Great Britain has achieved this feat. Following the first two days of competition, the pair both qualified for the final day by being ranked inside the top 30. The field was then split into two groups: A for those ranked 1-15 after qualifying and B, for those ranked 16-30.

McKibbin won the All-around competition in group B, with Jose finishing third; final rankings of 16th and 18th respectively - the highest finishes at a World Championship in the history of British Rhythmic gymnastics.

The world title was won for the second time by Russia's Alina Kabaeva with her compatriot Irina Tchachina in second place and Ukrainian Tmara Erofeeva third.

At the same time as the Rhythmic gymnasts were celebrating in Madrid, Great Britain was enjoying further success at the Trampolining & Tumbling World Cup Series Event in Espinho, Portugal.

Great Britain picked up two Silver (Kathryn Peberdy and Kirsten Lawton) and two Bronze (Kirsten Lawton and Claire Wright in the synchronised event) medals.

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