Canada wins team gold on first day of rhythmic gymnastics at Commonwealth Games

GLASGOW, Scotland -- On the first day of the rhythmic gymnastics competition at the Commonwealth Games on Thursday, Patricia Bezzoubenko of Thornhill, Ont., Maria Kitkarska of Montreal and Annabelle Kovacs of Vancouver combined to win the team gold medal for Canada. 

Wales won the silver and Malaysia took the bronze.

“It was a very proud moment,” said Kovacs. “We we’re very excited and felt like we deserved to win because we had worked so hard as a team.”

Bezzoubeno, the reigning Canadian champion, lived up to her top billing going into the Games, placing first in the individual all around qualification in a field of 32 competitors.

Bezzoubenko finished first in hoop, ball and clubs and fourth in ribbon to also qualify for all four event finals in addition to the all around final, giving her a shot at a gold medal sweep over the final two days of competition on Friday and Saturday.

The top 16 in the qualification advance to the all around final and the top eight in the individual events advance to finals on Friday and Saturday.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Bezzoubenko. “But now I’ve got to keep working and focus on tomorrow for the all around final.” 

Kitkarska is also in the running for medals in individual events after qualifying for finals in the all around and in the ball, clubs and ribbon.

“I’m excited and looking forward to going out and doing my routines again,” said Kitkarska. 

“I’ve never competed a such at big venue and it was full, not like in Canada when we compete, and everybody was cheering. It was very motivating.”

Kovacs, who placed 13th all around, did not advance to the all around final because of the rule limiting finalists to two entries per country.