Posted by
Billy email MADBillyD@aol.com on Wednesday, August 13, 2008 9:51:46 PM
After the Chinese women's gymnastics team won its first-ever Olympic gold medal on Wednesday, its diminutive gymnasts celebrated on the arena floor, hopping and hugging and mugging for the cameras. ( see cheating - )
The team final had come down to the United States and China and was close until the final two rotations, when the Chinese team pulled away in front of an excited and packed crowd. In those rounds, the Americans made several notable mistakes, including two falls by the team leader Alicia Sacramone that paved the way for China.
One day after its men's team won gold, China scored 188.900 for the victory. The United States claimed silver by scoring 186.525, well ahead of the 181.525 recorded by Romania, which followed its gold at the 2004 Athens Games with a bronze medal here.
While the Chinese team celebrated, Martha Karolyi, the U.S. national team coordinator, continued to question the ages of some of China's gymnasts. Concerns over eligibility on the six-member team surfaced before the Olympics and have continued all week.
"One of the girls has a missing tooth," Karolyi said, suggesting that the gymnast was so young that she lost a baby tooth and had yet to have a permanent one emerge.
(What a shock a communism nation cheats.)
