Neta Rivkin achieves her Olympic ‘mission’ and secures best-ever Israeli result in rhythmic gymnastics
Finalist performs well to finish seventh overall; chosen to carry Israeli flag at closing ceremony
Israeli rhythmic gymnast Neta Rivkin performed well in all four routines at the London Games on Saturday, to secure a best-ever Israeli finish in the event.
Rivkin, 21, finished seventh overall, making her the most successful rhythmic gymnast in Israeli Olympic history. Evgenia Kanaeva of Russia won the gold.
Rivkin was chosen to carry the Israeli flag at the closing ceremony of the Games, set to take place on Sunday.
Rivkin said afterwards that her “mission” had been to take the highest place for an Israeli in the event, “and I did it.” She said it was a very tough competition, with “lots of pressure” and “not too much time to think” between each of the routines, and that she was very pleased with her performances.
“I can’t believe it’s over,” she told Israel Radio on Saturday evening. “I enjoyed every minute.”
Rivkin scored 27.350 in her hoop routine, with no major errors, to place 9th out of the 10 finalists.
She then scored 26.850 for the ball routine — and seemed somewhat unhappy with the score, having performed solidly with no significant mistakes. That score kept her ninth overall.
In the clubs, she again fared well, and scored 27.800 — third best of the 10 competitors — to lift her overall standing to 7th.
Finally, with the ribbon — to a soundtrack including “Hevenu Shalom” (We have brought peace) — she scored 27.000 with another error-free routine to hold onto seventh place.
The 21-year-old, born in Israel to parents who immigrated from St. Petersburg, had forced her way into the final 10 with good performances in the club and ribbon routines Friday, after dropping the ball during that routine on Thursday.
Rivkin won a silver medal in the club apparatus at the 2011 European Championships, and a bronze medal with the hoop at the 2011 World Championships. These were her second Olympics; she placed 14th in her debut at the ’08 Beijing Games, where she did not make the finals.
On Sunday, Israel’s rhythmic gymnastics team will compete in its finals.
Under veteran coach Raya Irgo, the gymnasts came in 7th place at the end of the qualifying round on Friday. Eight teams went through to the finals.
The five-member team gave a solid performance as they danced to a klezmer-infused version of the Hebrew classic “Hava Nagila.”
The Times of Israel Community.