DOHA: Russia’s Olympic gold medalist Vladislava Urazova won the women’s balance beam title at the 14th Taishan FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Cup here on Saturday.

The 17-year-old, who turned senior in 2020, won a gold in the team event at the Tokyo Games ahead of USA. She also qualified to the all-around and balance beam finals in Tokyo but due to the presence of other heavyweights barring American superstar Simone Biles, the Russian finished fourth in all-around and eighth in balance beam apparatuses.

Urazova missed a podium finish by a whisker on the Floor Exercise in the Qatari capital, finishing fourth (12.233 ) behind team-mate Mariia Minaeva (12.666), Ukraine’s Daniela Batrona (12.666) and Hungary’s Dorina Boeczoego (12.433).

The teenager belongs to a new generation of gymnasts that also includes Anastasia Ilyankova, Viktoria Listunova and Angelina Melnikova, one of the most decorated Russian gymnasts.

Her team-mate Listunova won one gold (uneven bar) and bronze (vault) to reaffirm Russia’s supremacy in world gymnastics. With the next Paris Games due two years from now, the points earned at the FIG World Cup Series would do a world good for these Russian youngsters.