Khorkina aims for history

Last year she became the first women to win three world all-around titles and now she wants to be the first non-teenager since 1968 to win the Olympic women's all-around.

The Olympic image most people have of Khorkina is tears and frowning in 2000 after she'd fallen on vault and asymmetric bars on her way to a tenth-place all-around finish in Sydney.

It was later discovered the vault had been set inches too short, a fact which most likely caused the start of Khorkina's troubles that night. She was offered a chance to vault again, but by that time she had ruined her chances with the fall from asymmetric bars.

Khorkina is again the favourite to win the all-around in Athens, if only the sentimental favourite according to some, and her biggest competition will come from teenagers when the event begins Thursday at the Olympic Indoor Hall.

She will have to beat American 16-year-old Carly Patterson, the all-around silver medallist at last year's worlds; American 18-year-old Courtney Kupets, the 2002 world asymmetric bars champion; as well as two European 16-year-olds, Ukrainian Alina Kozich and Romanian Daniela Sofronie. Kozich won the European all-around title in April, and Sofronie was second.

Khorkina, as is common for her, has not talked to the press so far while in Athens. She has not appeared to crack a smile during practice or competition here.

Patterson was the first all-around qualifier from preliminaries, and has looked very solid most of the time she has been in Athens.

Coached by former Russian sports acrobatic world champion Evgeny Marchenko, Patterson has nerves of steel and does difficult tricks seemingly with ease.

What's more, with everyone watching Khorkina, the others - Patterson, Kupets, Kozich and Sofronie - appear to be carrying less pressure.

"Every meet feels the same to me," Patterson said. "You don't want to put pressure on yourself thinking you have to do good because it's the Olympics."