Son Yeon-jae misses podium despite career-high scores in Russia
Son Yeon-jae
South Korean rhythmic gymnast Son Yeon-jae came up short of the podium despite getting her personal best score in the individual all-around at an International Federation of Gymnastics (FIG) competition in Russia.
Son earned a career-high 74.900 points in total from hoop, ball, clubs and ribbon at the season's ninth FIG World Cup on Friday (local time) in Kazan, Russia. This was 0.250 point higher than her previous best score, set at the FIG World Cup in Guadalajara, Spain, last month.
However, the score wasn't enough for Son to win a medal as Russians swept the podium. Margarita Mamun won the gold medal with 77.050, followed by Yana Kudryavtseva (75.950) and Aleksandra Soldatova (75.500).
By apparatus, Son finished fourth in both hoop (18.750) and ball (18.900). Son's score in ball was her career-high on any apparatus, but Russians were again ahead of her, with Kudryavtseva leading the way with 19.350.
In clubs, Son tied for second with Soldatova and Melitina Staniouta of Belarus after posting 18.800. Mamun finished first with a score of 19.400. In ribbon, Son was fifth at 18.450, 0.800 point behind top performer Kudryavtseva.
Son, however, has reached all four apparatus finals, open to the top eight gymnasts in each category. These finals are scheduled on Saturday.
Son, 22, has taken home at least one medal at each of the five World Cups she has competed this season.
Son is trying to become the first South Korean rhythmic gymnast to win an Olympic medal in Rio de Janeiro in August. She ranked fifth in the individual all-around at the 2012 London Olympics. (Yonhap)