The U.S. Women’s Gymnastics Team shows off their silver medals…
BEIJING (AP) -Alicia Sacramone crouched on the ground near the floor, her head buried in her hands, disbelief etched across her face.
The Olympic gold medal was in the Americans’ grasp, the title that would say, yes, they really are the world’s best team. And they fumbled it away.
With a fall off the beam here, a splat on the floor there and two more steps out of bounds Wednesday, the Americans all but personally handed the gold medals to the Chinese team and settled for silver.
China’s score of 188.9 points was more than two points ahead of the U.S., a blowout in a competition that was supposed to be decided by the slimmest of margins.
“No one else made mistakes, so it’s kind of my fault,” Sacramone said, still trying to blink back the tears from her red-rimmed eyes. “I think everybody knows you always have good days and bad days. I just wish today was a good day.”
It was a spectacular day for China. The American mistakes turned China’s final three routines on floor into victory dances, and oh did Deng Linlin, Jiang Yuyuan and Cheng Fei play their parts to perfection.