Unstoppable Kudryavtseva secures ball gold at Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships

Formidable Russian Yana Kudryavtseva continued her rhythmic gymnastic dominance with gold in the ball discipline in Stuttgart ©Getty Images

Russian teenage sensation Yana Kudryavtseva continued her stunning run of performances as she successfully defended her ball title on the second day of the 2015 International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships in Stuttgart.

The 17-year-old star, who monopolised the gold medals at last year’s event in Izmir, Turkey, taking home an outstanding haul of five, posted a score of 19.025 points, a fraction ahead of compatriot Margarita Mamun.

Melitina Staniouta of Belarus recorded 18.350 to edge Asian Games gold medallist South Korea’s Son Yeon-jae for her second consecutive bronze.

Kudryavtseva’s score came despite a slight mishap when trying to catch the ball during her routine and the result means she now holds the world, European, European Games and FIG World Cup titles in the discipline.

Judging by her displays at the event in Stuttgart so far, she looks likely to add further golds to her ever-growing personal tally before the competition comes to a close next Sunday (September 13).

The Russian may also take some stopping if she is to be prevented from topping the podium at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Margarita Mamun secured her maiden hoop world title with a superb routine ©Getty Images

Mamun recovered from the disappointment of the ball event, where she lost out to her team-mate by 0.025 points, as she benefitted from the absence of Kudryavtseva to seal gold in the hoop competition.

Kudryavtseva had opted not to compete in the discipline in order to prevent further damage to a leg injury, which opened the door for perennial silver medallist Mamun, who claimed the title with a total of 18.950.

She recorded the best scores in both difficulty and execution to secure her maiden hoop world crown, with Aleksandra Soldatova maintaining the Russian dominance, taking silver with 18.650.

Ukrainian Ganna Rizatdinova, 2013 world champion and European Games silver medallist, scored 18.583 to clinch bronze.

Russia finished the opening day with an ominous total of two golds and two silvers and competition is due to continue tomorrow with the first day of qualifications with the clubs and ribbon.

Both finals are then due to take place on Thursday (September 9).