By Pritha Sarkar

AARHUS, Denmark - Vanessa Ferrari raced into the history books on Thursday when she became the first Italian to win an all-round title at the world gymnastics championships.

The 15-year-old dynamo capitalised on the late withdrawal of 2005 champion Chellsie Memmel to capture the women's title with a score of 61.025.

She edged second-placed American Jana Bieger by .275 of a point with Romania's Sandra Izbasa finishing third.

Ferrari's victory finally broke the Chinese dominance at these championships after they had won all three of the previous titles up for grabs.

The Italian's chances of victory, however, appeared to be over when she slipped off the balance beam in the third rotation.

She trailed Pang Panpan by just .125 of a point going into the final round but a sprayed vault landing by the Chinese athlete opened the way for Ferrari to steer into the lead.

She did not disappoint.

Ferrari performed her floor exercise to the strains of Nessun Dorma from Puccini's opera Turandot which ends with the tenor singing a triumphant "Vincero!" or "I will win!".

By the end of her dazzling 90-second display, there was no doubting that she had lived up to the message.

As soon as her score of 15.500 flashed up, she ran to hug her coach who lifted up the slender brunette in his arms.

With victory confirmed, she sprinted around the arena holding aloft a giant Italian flag.

"After the mistake on beam, I was a little sad but when I saw the scores I knew it would be possible to win because I would finish on floor, my strongest apparatus," a beaming Ferrari told reporters.

Only 10 minutes earlier, it seemed that it would be Pang who would be penning her own chapter in the record books.

FERRARI'S DOMAIN

Never before had a Chinese woman won the individual accolade at a world championships and Pang recovered from a fall on the beam to lead the standings with just her final vault standing in the way of victory.

However, the crowd were hushed into silence when the 18-year-old landed on her hands and knees following her twisting somersault.

Even before she had dragged herself back on her feet, Pang knew her chances of glory had disappeared as the floor was Ferrari's domain. Pang slipped to sixth and out of the medals.

Ferrari's triumph also proved the new cumulative scoring system, awarded for content and execution, rewards those who are willing to take risks with their performances.

Neither Bieger or Izbasa suffered any mishaps but Ferrari outclassed them with her superior all-round display.

"I had a lot of fun today going out and showing my routines and hitting them," said Bieger.

"It was great to be out there and represent the United States and win a silver medal at a world championships. It's still not sunken in to be sitting here with a silver medal, it feels fantastic."

Last year's top two, Memmel and Nastia Liukin had to follow proceedings from the stands because of injury.

Memmel was denied a chance to defend her title when she tweaked her shoulder on the bars during the women's team final on Wednesday.

Liukin, who was beaten by just .001 of a point in Melbourne, has only competed on the asymmetric bars in Aarhus after spraining her ankle in training.