topics
tools
Expatica countries
Index Last Var.(%)
BEL 20 2102.88 -0.01
DAX 6396.61 -0.07
IBEX 30 6704.1 0.05
CAC 40 3061.8 0.74
FTSE 100 5427.23 -0.19
AEX 296.12 -0.04
DJIA 12632 -0.50
Nasdaq 2893.76 -0.30
FTSE MIB 13395.08 0.63
TSX Composite 11343.05 -1.27
ASX 4214.7 -2.35
Hang seng 19259.83 -3.19
Straits Times 2831.15 -1.58
ISEQ 20 499.46 0.01
You are here: Home News Belgian News Mighty China sweeps all before it in men's team event

Belgian News

archive
Enlarge font Decrease font Text size


12/08/2008Mighty China sweeps all before it in men's team event

China wins the Artistic gymnastics team gold, with defending champions Japan claiming silver, and the US narrowly defeating Germany to win the bronze.

12 August 2008

BEIJING - China put in an all-conquering performance Tuesday on its way to securing the men's team gold in the artistic gymnastics event at the National Indoor Stadium.

The host nation scored the highest marks in five of the six disciplines to finish well clear of the rest of the eight-man field with a winning total of 286.125 points.

Defending Olympic champion Japan came a distant second on 278.875, while the United States beat off the challenge of Germany to take bronze thanks to a score of 275.850.

China's victory was achieved through dominant performances by the six-man team of Chen Yibing, Huang Xu, Li Xiaopeng, Xiao Qin, Yang Wei and Zou Kai, not least in the team's strongest events of vault, pommel horse and rings.

The Chinese team also scored the highest points total in the high and parallel bar disciplines but was only fourth in the floor exercises.

The victory banished the memory of China's failure to win a medal in the men's team event four years ago, when the country was defending Olympic champion.

"When we were in Athens we failed and after four years of huge effort we have improved and finally today we returned to the top of the podium," said coach Huang Xu.

"I'm very glad that the team members were able to remain cool and give their best.

All-around world champion Yang scored well but was outshone by some of his teammates as Chen scored a superb 16.575 points at the rings, Li 16.775 on the vault, Huang 16.475 on the parallel bars and Xiao 16.100 on the pommel horse.

"I feel I have shed a huge burden by winning the team gold and can now compete in a relaxed mood in the individual event," said the 28- year-old Yang.

Japan, with Takehiro Kashima and Hiroyuki Tomita the only members of the 2004 gold-medal team remaining, put in its weakest performance in the vault, scoring the lowest points total of the eight teams after mistakes by Kashima and Koki Sakamoto.

"I think the team members worked very hard and we won this silver as a result," said Tomita. "We were quite confident and performed as one and I am happy with how we competed."

The United States, silver-medallists in Athens but missing defending Olympic all-around champion Paul Hamm and his brother Morgan through injury, assured itself of the bronze with a strong performance in the high bar in the sixth and final rotation.

Jonathan Horton scored 15.700, Justin Spring 15.675 and Joey Hagerty 15.550 for a total of 46.925, a total only bettered by the Chinese score of 46.950.

"Any finish on the medal podium is special especially as those guys are incredible athletes and are irreplaceable," said Horton, referring to his absent teammates.

Mistakes by Maxim Devyatovskiy and Sergey Khorokhordin on the pommel horse during the first rotation proved costly for the Russian team as it finished down in sixth place, behind South Korea but ahead of Romania and France.

The next medal event in artistic gymnastics comes Wednesday, when the women compete in the team event.

[dpa / Expatica]

What are your views on the Olympic Games? Will you be supporting your country or host country? Click here to take part in a survey compiled by Expatica in cooperation with Ruigrok | NetPanel.


0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment

General rating: Not rated yet

Rate article:    Add my rating



0 reactions to this article

Be the first person to add a comment
Discussion Forums

Irish in Belgium

Sending kids to catholic bilingual school

American in Belgium

Meeting New People in Jurbise (Mons)

Housing in Belgium

Apartment in St Catherine for rent

Networking in Belgium

Looking for people to sell perfume and make-up.

Student forum Belgium

Online Accounting Degree

participate in the forums

Inside Expatica
Looking for work in Belgium

Looking for work in Belgium

This handy guide from Expertise in Labour Mobility includes how to write a CV, application procedure, interview dos and don'ts, Belgian management culture.

Practical, easy-to-use, free and... in English

Practical, easy-to-use, free and... in English

Belgium’s first alternative directory assistance services - available through the shortcode 14-14 - can now be accessed on the internet.

Finding a rental home in Belgium

Finding a rental home in Belgium

Moving to Belgium presents a host of challenges to expats, not least of all finding the right home.

Learning to cope with life abroad

Learning to cope with life abroad

The psychological effects of global mobility can be physically painful.