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Bridget Sloan will go for all-around gold in London. AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez
News of the day is that Russia's Ksenia Afanasyeva has withdrawn from next week's World Championships due to a back injury.
Afanasyeva, 18, was the all-around silver medalist at this spring's European Championships and one of the favorites to win the 2009 World title. The women's World Championship competition begins Wednesday in London.
Afanasyeva's depature opens the door for other all-around candidates, including her teammate Ksenia Semyonova, who edged Afanasyeva to take gold at the 2009 Europeans.
Semyonova has a legitimate shot at bringing the all-around crown back to Russia for the first time Svetlana Khorkina won it in 2003. I thought Afanasyeva's chances were better, though.
Others expected to contend for the title are Americans Bridget Sloan and Rebecca Bross, as well as Deng Linlin and Olympic all-around bronze medalist Yang Yilin of China. This doesn't hurt the all around chances of darkhorses Yana Demyanchuk (Ukraine) and Koko Tsurumi (Japan) either.
Yana Demyanchuk, 2009 European Championships Event Finals, Beam (1st):
Afanasyeva recovered early from a leg injury that was expected to keep her out of August's Russian Cup and went on to win beam and floor at that competition.
Ksenia Afanasyeva, 2009 European Championships All-Around, Floor:
Svetlana Klyukina, 2009 Russian Cup All-Around, Beam:
Comments
I really hope the Russians consider sending Yulia Berger to replace Afanasyeva instead of Goryunova or Klyukina. Those two have really no chance at medalling and can make AA finals at best, whereas Berger would almost definitely make vault finals if she hit. Actually, even Ramilya Musina would be a better choice imo as I think she has a better chance at contributing in the future than either Kluykina or Goryunova.
Berger will certainly make the VT finals, but with a tucked Rudi (5.7) and a Tsu? 1½ (5.7), she has no chance of medalling whatsoever. Plus, Kurbatova will almost certainly do better than Berger on VT and only 3 can go per apparatus. Goryunova will definitely qualify for the AA (and definitely stay out of the podium), but I think it's better for Russia to have 2 AAers than 2 VT specialists. Klyukina was completely out of shape, she'd better stay at home.
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