GYM: Rizzo wins Goodwill gold in big week

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2001
GYM: Rizzo wins Goodwill gold in big week

By Michael Crutcher

BRISBANE, Aug 31 AAP - Philippe Rizzo tonight capped a remarkable week for Australian
men's gymnastics with a gold medal at the Goodwill Games in Brisbane.

Just five days after his gold medal on the high bar at the World University Games in
Beijing, Rizzo repeated the performance against a quality field including Olympic champion
Aleksei Nemov.

His win in Beijing was the first by an Australian male at a major international meet,
prompting Rizzo's coach Vladimir Vadkin to declare that victory as "almost unimaginable".

But his 20-year-old pupil was determined to maintain the standard tonight, recording
a score of 9.737 to beat Russian Nikolai Kryukov (9.712) and China's Huang Xu (9.687).

"I didn't want people to say that was a fluke and now I've proved myself again, I'm
really happy," Rizzo said.

"I knew I could do it because all I had to do was do my routine really well.

"When I came back from China everyone was more worried about the Goodwill Games but
I guess this gold medal is good - it's the top of the ladder for me."

Rizzo was the sixth competitor in the eight-man rotation and he then had to wait just
minutes for Nemov to present his most serious challenge.

But the Russian slipped from the bar, along with final competitor Marius Urzica, enabling
the home crowd to celebrate early.

"I had done what I had to do then I sat back, but I certainly don't wish anyone bad
luck," Rizzo said.

"I hope they do their best and I still beat them."

Rizzo is from a strong gymnastics family, with his father Andre a French Olympian and
brother Blaise a two-time Australian champion.

Rizzo contacted his family by phone after his medal ceremony but said any celebrations
had to wait until after tomorrow's final day of competition at the Brisbane Convention
Centre.

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KEYWORD: GOOD GYM NIGHTLEAD

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