Commonwealth Games 2014: Francesca Jones claims her third medal in Glasgow as she takes silver in women's hoop final

23-year-old lost out to Canada's Patricia Bezzoubenko by just 0.05 marks

Kate Gardiner
Saturday 26 July 2014 12:13 BST
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Silver medallist Francesca Jones (L) of Wales embraces bronze medallist Laura Halford (R)
Silver medallist Francesca Jones (L) of Wales embraces bronze medallist Laura Halford (R) (Getty Images)

Wales' Francesca Jones won her third rhythmic gymnastics medal of Glasgow 2014 as she took silver in Saturday morning's hoop final at the Hydro.

The 23-year-old, who also won silver with the apparatus in the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games, was beaten to top spot by Canada's Patricia Bezzoubenko, who won her third gold with a routine of 14.800.

Jones took second place just 0.05 marks behind Bezzoubenko with 14.750, while Malaysia's Wong Poh San won bronze with 14.650.

Cyprus' Themida Christodoulidou opened the hoop final with a score of 13.250 but her lead did not last for long as Malaysia's Amy Dict Weng Kwan moved ahead with 14.200.

Kwan's team-mate Wong then set a testing target with a routine to throw the gauntlet down to favourite Bezzoubenko.

The Canadian team and all-around gold medallist was next on the floor and responded with an elegant performance of 14.800 which catapulted her into the lead.

England's Stephani Sherlock, who had qualified in sixth place, scored 13.875 to put her outside the medals and then it was Jones' turn to bid for her third medal of the Games after Wales' team silver and her all-around silver from Friday.

Jones' score was marginally lower than Bezzoubenko achieved and she moved into silver medal position with two gymnasts still to compete.

The next was Wales' Laura Halford, whose 14.250 put her into fifth place at the end of the competition, outside of the medals by 0.4 of a mark.

Cyprus' Pantelitsa Theodoulou finished fourth with a score of 14.500.

PA

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