China Wins Two Golds on Last Day of Olympic Gymnastics

China hit a pair of golds on the last day of the gymnastics competition at the Sydney Olympics when 21-year-old veteran Liu Xuan claimed the women's beam title and Li Xiaopeng snatched the men's parallel gold on Monday.

Liu Xuan, who qualified 6th for the event, took the gold medal with a score of 9.825 points.
"I'm wild with joy," said Liu, who had decided to retire after a disappointing 1996 Atlanta Olympics but was persuaded to stay by her coaches. "That could be my last competition and this will be the perfect way to finish my career."

The 19-year-old Li Xiaopeng won the parallel gold with a high score of 9.825 points while South Korean Lee Joo-Hyung, 1999 world champion in the event, took the silver with 9.812. Russian super star Alexei Nemov scored 9.800 points to take the bronze.

"Finally I achieved the Olympic gold. I'm very satisfied," said Li.

Nemov then added a high bar gold to his all-around title. The 24-year-old Russian was awarded with a score of 9.787 points, which edged out Benjamin Varonian of France to claim the first place.

Russia's Elena Zamolodtchimova won the gold medal of the women's floor exercise on 9.850 points. Crowd favourite Svetlana Khorkina took the silver with 9.812 points. Spain's Gervasio Deferr clinched the men's vault title with 9.712 points, followed by Russian Alexey Bondarenko with 9.587 and Leszek Blanik of Poland with 9.475.