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By Kendra Boren
from WillametteLive, Section News
Posted on Fri Aug 15, 2008 at 03:20:37 PM PDT
Tonight was a perfect display of the many reasons why I love gymnastics. Even if I had never competed in the sport myself, the competition in the ladies all-around would have made me a fan. While their male counterparts the night (rather, morning!) before fought for their routines, let's face it: the silver medalist from Japan, as talented as he is, placed second with two falls on pommel horse. Top contenders in the women's edition put on quite a magnificent show. Gone were the falls and many of the extra steps that were seen in qualification and team finals as the gymnasts competed for the title of the best all-around gymnast in the world.
For the United States, expectations were set high and with good reason. The top two qualifiers, Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin, have 12 world championship medals between them. Coming in as the reining world champion, Johnson had an advantage in many minds. Technically, their starts values were nearly equal. Every gymnast on each event has a set "A" score, which is their level of difficulty, and each has a "B" score which is judged separately as the execution of the routine. The B score is out of a 10 and the only remaining resemblance to the prior judging system in which perfection was a score of 10.
Yang Yilin of China, Ksenia Semenova and Anna Pavlova of Russia, Steliana Nistor of Romania, and many others were ready to challenge the two favorites heading into the meet. Starting on vault, it seems that rising to the occasion was going to be the sentiment of the night. Liukin stuck her landing, scoring a 15.025 on a relatively simple 1.5 twisting Yurchenko vault. Yurchenko vaults begin by completing a back handspring onto the vaulting table. Johnson, however, in an effort to raise her difficulty, vaulted an Amanar, or a 2.5 twisting Yurchenko. Although a large crossover step cost her a few tenths, she scored a 15.875. Yilin and both of the Russians were in the same group, thus completing vaults in the high 14, low 15 range.
With bars set as the second rotation, the standings were indefinitely going to shake up. Yang Yilin and Liukin have the highest difficulty planned for this apparatus. Yang scored a high 16.725 which catapulted her into the lead, and Liukin followed suit scoring a 16.650 putting her in second position. Johnson had a nearly flawless bars set, but with a low A score moved down slightly in the rankings. Semenova increased her chances at a medal with an over 16 score as well on bars. Nistor hung in the medal hunt with scores of 15.975 and 15.550 on her opening events, the uneven bars and balance beam.
The leading group then moved to the beam themselves. At four inches wide and four feet high, it's a test of mental toughness and precision. Liukin, with long body lines due to her height and slim figure and Johnson, a compact powerhouse, display opposing looks which are magnified on this event. Johnson tumbles on the beam as if she is on the floor, while Liukin with her pointed toes and flexibility showcases artistry unparalleled in the sport. Yang Yilin continued her good fortune, scoring a15.750 on beam. Johnson, with only one minor wobble, brought in a very high 16.050. Liukin, nailing all of her elements and sticking her dismount, wowed the crowd and judges with a score of 16.125 the highest of the night on the beam.
Floor is exactly what the entire competition depended on. With Yang Yilin, Anastasia Liukin, and Shawn Johnson poised to medal, near perfect routines were needed to ensure they stay upon the medal stand. Liukin, now in the lead, had a distinct opportunity. The start order on their final event went: Yang Yilin, Nastia Liukin, and Shawn Johnson. A fitting set up, for sure.
Yang, while good on floor, scored her lowest in the competition here, bringing a 15.000 equaling her score on floor in qualification. Liukin truly left it all on the floor, as did Johnson. They both nailed every tumbling pass, and danced their way to equally scoring the highest of the night with a 15.525. For Liukin this ensured her the gold medal, and for Johnson the nearly perfect routine advanced her up the podium ahead of Yang Yilin to finish with the silver. A 1-2 finish for the United States is exactly what Liukin and Johnson have been talking about all year. This is an unprecedented victory for U.S. gymnastics that has in its history only two other Olympic All-Around Champions: Mary Lou Retton and Carly Patterson.
For a sport called Artistic Gymnastics, Nastia Liukin proved that difficulty combined with aesthetically pleasing positions will be rewarded. Johnson showed a power and precision that is awe-inspiring. Shawn has hit every routine in Beijing. Event finals will begin next week, where the best gymnasts on battle for the medals on each apparatus. Look out for Cheng Fei on vault and floor, Alicia Sacramone and Oksana Chusovitnia also on vault, along with He Kexin on bars and many others. Liukin and Johnson will compete much more as well.
The total medal with victories in the pool, on the track, and elsewhere stand at: USA 46, China 41, Australia 20, Russia 19, and South Korea 18. China leads in the gold medal count, with 26 victories thus far.
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