Associated Press
November 22

American Ashley Postell was first in the balance beam event while compatriot Samantha Sheehan took first place in the floor exercise in the semifinals at the 36th World Gymnastics Championships.

Postell and defending European champion Lyudmila Eyova of Russia both received 9.612 points for their performances on the beam, but the 16-year-old American won first place on the basis of tiebreakers. Sydney Olympic all-around champion Svetlana Khorkina of Russia finished third.

China's Nan Zhang, who had qualified for the beam semifinal with the highest score, fell off the apparatus twice and did not make it to the final.

Postell also reached the final in vault, placing fourth in the semis.

"My goal was to reach a final at my first world championships and I accomplished it on both of my events," Postell said. "It would be nice to win two medals but I would be glad even with one."

The highest score in the vault event — 9.350 points — went to the runner-up in last year's worlds, Oxana Chusovitina of Uzbekistan, a 27-year-old mother of two.

Russia's Natalia Ziganshina and Ioana Petrovschi of Romania finished second and third.

In floor performance, American Samantha Sheehan and Daniele Hypolito of Brazil, last year's world championship runner-up, both received 9.450 points, but Sheenan was placed first based on tiebreakers. Spain's Elena Gomez was third.

First in the uneven bars was Khorkina, whose score of 9.762 points was the highest of the day in the women's competition. American Courtney Kupets was second with 9.550 points.

"Though I also qualified in second place in the first round, this high mark has taken me by surprise. I have completely redone my routine since last summer and now the judges are beginning to give it the high marks it probably deserves," Kupets said.

Third on the uneven bars was 2001 world finalist Eyova.

The competition was to continue Friday with the men's semifinal events.

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