Beijing Olympics: Womens Gymnastics Team Final – China Outlasts the USA Girls

Picture worth a thousand words

This picture tells the whole story of last night.

For those who missed it, the Chinese Women’s Gymnastics team won the Team Gold over the USA team, by about 2.30 points in the final standings. Exactly 1.60 of those points came from mistakes by Alicia Sacramone. First, the stunning fall off the beam on her mount, then an all-too-predictable fall on the following floor exercise. Her falls definitely deflated the team, and subsequent mistakes by Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson sealed the deal.

Meanwhile, the Chinese women did well, but not with their normal precision or perfection, on both the beam and the floor. They won going away, but you definitely got the feeling that the US would have either won the gold or at least put a LOT of drama in that stadium for those final routines. Furthermore, there would have been a lot less whining from the USA after the meet… more on that later.

But first, a picture of pure happiness. You almost can’t help but be happy for that Chinese team!

Pure happiness

Congratulations to the Chinese for the gold, and to the USA for the silver!

Now, onto the ugliness that ensued. Before the glitter could be mopped off the mats in the stadium, the Americans – notably Marta and Bela Karolyi – began blasting the Chinese stadium officials for what they termed gamesmanship (the long delay before Sacramone’s beam routine). Then they took another shot at the Chinese nationals for allowing 14 and 15 year old girls to compete. Then they came up with every possible excuse for their loss… except for the one that counts: China outperformed the USA.

Why do we Americans have to do this when we lose?? Why does there have to be a nefarious reason?? Why can’t we just graciously congratulate the other team?? It just seems a little insecure. Sure you’re sad, and bitter, and angry, but first, look at the mirror. Then, get ready for the all-around. Even if China used 14 year olds, the bottom line is they were stellar.

By the way, this is not to say that we should be heaping any criticism on Ms. Sacramone. I actually feel genuinely terrible for her. But no criticism, because in the end, all that happened is that she had an off moment that led to a completely understandable loss of confidence. That’s what happens to athletes and any other competitors.

Some pictures to leave you with to show that Alicia Sacramone is already tearing herself up.

Beijing Olympics Recap: Men’s Gymnastics – US and China Medals

First off, an admission. When it comes to guilty pleasures, I have a few. I’m a pretty typical red-blooded, liberal, sporty guy from Philly. I follow baseball fervently, with a couple fantasy baseball teams and a throwback Phillies jersey in my closet. But, I will admit that there are a few Avril Lavigne songs that I love, mostly because of a couple routines from SYTYCD. I also love Top 10 (or Top 100) lists, whatever they are for.

AND…. I enjoy Olympic gymnastics. My wife and I were talking a couple nights ago about how we both remembered the women’s gymnastics from 1992 (the Kim Zmeskal and Shannon Miller year), and so on. But generally, it’s more about the women’s than the men’s.

However, last night, I got caught up in the Men’s Team Gymnastics Finals. The bottom line doesn’t quite capture the excitement: China expectedly won the gold, going away. The USA held on to win the bronze.

Bronze winners

Gold winners

Again, that bottom line doesn’t come close to capturing the excitement of last night, which thoroughly caught me by surprise. The US men were extremely short-handed, having lost Paul Hamm and Morgan Hamm days before the Olympics started. They were the only two with Olympic experience! As a result, the US went into the Olympics with two out of their six gymnasts being alternates. I can’t remember the last time I saw an Indian-American doing gymnastics. They were NOT supposed to be contending for a medal, yet after 3 events last night, they were leading China for the gold! Granted, it was an illusory lead given that China still had its powerhouse events, but nevertheless, what a run. They had some tense moments with the dreaded pommel horse — BTW, there is SUCH a difference between people who barely get by on the horse and those who excel — with Kevin Tam opening with a terrible score in the 12s. But they pulled it out.

China on the other hand HAD to win the gold. Their head coach had promised to jump off the tallest building in Beijing if they didn’t. Probably an empty promise, but man, what pressure. They had a terrible Athens, where they were hoping to set up these Olympics with a statement gold. Their leaders were under scrutiny. Silver was not an option. They struggled in their first rotation. And so on and so on… But they were amazing on the parallel bars, and when they finished up on the high bar, the crowd’s reaction to their win was goose-bump-worthy.

South Korea Update:

The Korean men kinda bombed in the men’s gymnastics, but they have been dominant in Archery. (One of the weirdest country-domination pairings ever… Korea and archery?? Where did that come from? It’s like China and diving, Americans and backstroke, Kenya and the marathon.) AND, they have done well in swimming, because of one Park Tae Hwan. I’ve never heard of him, but he’s been stellar in these games, winning a gold and a silver already. And he’s only 18 years old. I have a feeling he’ll be one of the top gold medalists in 2012. He’s also got a face that’s made for TV… I’m sure he’s incredibly popular and swooned over by the ladies in Korea.

Park Tae Hwan, for all the Korean ladies reading this blog