Margarita Mamun continued Russia’s dominance of rhythmic gymnastics by winning individual all-around Olympic gold in Rio yesterday, reports agencies from Rio De Janeiro The 20-year-old from Moscow took gold ahead of her world champion teammate Yana Kudryavtseva, with Ukraine’s Ganna Rizatdinova claiming bronze in the Rio Olympic Arena. It was the fifth time that Russia have won the title going back to Sydney 2000. Three-time world champion Kudryavtseva’s challenge ended after she dropped her club apparatus at the end of the third rotation of four. Born in Moscow to a Bangladeshi father, Margarita Mamun showed off her exquisite balancing and twirling skills as she captured what she called “a victory for two countries” in the individual all around event at the Olympics. Mamun, who had represented Bangladesh as a junior, was also delighted that her victory was also being celebrated in her father, Abdullah Al Mamun’s, homeland.
“I’m really happy knowing that I have a lot of fans in Bangladesh who have been supporting me,” added Mamun in Russian. “I can count one to 10 in Bengali. When I was younger my dad used to teach me Bengali but I have forgotten it all.” And why did she chose to represent Bangladesh as a junior considering she was born and raised in her mother’s homeland?  “I had dual citizenship so that’s why I decided to represent Bangladesh in one competition as a junior. I came back to represent Russia as I always lived and trained in Russia.”
“It was quite unexpected for me to win the gold medal because Yana usually wins,” said Mamun, whose father is Bengali and mother Russian.
“I was really surprised about Yana making such a mistake because Yana is always very focused and calm, and never nervous.
“That’s why I wasn’t thinking about winning the gold medal.  “It just happened that way.”
Kudryavtseva, 23, had led for the first two apparatus — ball and hoop — and recovered to finish with a flurry with the ribbon.
“Sometimes at the end of my routines, I’m too relaxed and I think I already have an apparatus in my hand when I don’t.  “That is what happened today,” said Kudryavtseva.
“At the end of (the clubs) routine, I realised I was not going to win the gold medal.
“That’s why emotionally I was a little bit more relaxed and I was competing for myself, my coach and the spectators.
“I wanted to give them a good performance.” Mamun — nicknamed The Bengal Tiger — scored 76.483 points with Kudryavtseva, the 2013, 2014 and 2015 world champion, achieving 75.608.
Rizatdinova scored 73.583 to snatch bronze ahead of South Korea’s Son Yeon-Jae.