MIE (JPN), FIG Office, September 12, 2009: The stunning Russian 19 year old gymnast Evgenia Kanaeva has just won 6 Gold medals at the 29th Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships, setting a brand new Rhythmic record. A sweeping victory, she takes home every title up for grabs in Mie: Team competition, All-around and all four apparatus (Ball, Rope, Hoop and Ribbon).

The 5-Gold record was previously held by Bianca Panova (BUL) who prevailed in Varna 1987, Alexandra Timochenko (RUS) in Athens 1991, Oxana Kostina (RUS) in Brussels (BEL) 1992,  Maria Petrova (BUL) in Alicante (ESP) 1993 and Olga Kapranova (RUS) in Baku (AZE) 2005.

The record for the highest number of consecutive All-around titles goes to Bulgaria’s Maria Guigova (Varna 1969, Cuba 1971, Rotterdam 1973) and Maria Petrova (Alicante 1993, Paris 1994, Vienna 1995).

Evgenia Kanaeva now holds the record heretofore borne by Belarus’ Vitaly Scherbo, who took 6 Gold medals for the CIS in Artistic Gymnastics at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona.