Kudryavtseva claims third consecutive all-around title with gold at 2015 Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships

Russia’s Yana Kudryavtseva secured her third straight Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships all-around title in Stuttgart ©Getty Images

Russia’s Yana Kudryavtseva clinched her third consecutive Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships all-around title with another superb display to maintain her dominance of the sport as the event in Stuttgart drew to a close today.

Kudryavtseva had already secured gold in the ball, clubs, ribbon and team competitions and was again in sublime form, topping the podium with a score of 75.632.

The 17-year-old Russia, who also holds multiple European crowns and took home a haul of five golds from the inaugural European Games in Baku in June, was pushed all the way by compatriot and closest rival Margarita Mamun.

The teenage sensation got off to a superb start with a brilliantly-executed clubs routine rewarded by the judges with 19.000 points to surge straight to the top of the leaderboard.

She made an uncharacteristic error with the ribbon, however, allowing Mamun, the reigning hoops world champion, to move 0.2 points ahead going into the final round of the competition.

Two-times all-around world silver medallist Mamun then dropped the ball early on in her routine which effectively cost her the chance to pip Kudryavtseva to the title.

Margarita Mamun looked on course to claim gold before a mistake with the ball meant she was forced to settle for silver — Russia's Margarita Mamun looked on course to claim a gold medal at the Rhythmic Gymnastics World Championships before a mistake with the ball meant she was forced to settle for silver ©Getty Images

Kudryavtseva delivered when it mattered most as she scored a formidable 19.116 in the same discipline to claim gold and continue her incredible run of form as Mamun was forced to settle for silver.

Melitina Stanioiuta of Belarus, at 21 a veteran in the sport, sealed another bronze, despite also making a costly mistake with the ball as she was able to hang on to third place, finishing on a total of 72.132.

The result means cements the Russian as the undisputed queen of the sport and she looks the red hot favourite to take gold at next year’s Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The event gave gymnasts the chance to secure Olympic qualification as 15 individual and 10 group Rio 2016 berths were awarded.

Competitors who did not achieve an Olympic quota this time around will get a second opportunity during a gymnastics test event organised by the International Gymnastics Federation, due to take place in Rio de Janeiro from April 22 to 24.