Preliminary Results--Gymnastics O-2008

http://www.abc.net.au/olympics/2008/results/gymnastics/

Okay, the US teams made it to the men's and women's team finals.

Horton and Artemev made it to the AA and each qualified for one individual event...Artemev...NOT the son of Artemov of '88 but of another Olympic Russian gymnast is phenomenal on pommel...amazing leg extension...He was terrific at the trials also but came off. He is a very good gymnast...when he pulls through and doesn't come off, his routines can be excellent.

For the women, they did well, but not their best. They Q'd for team also...Shawn Johnson is an 'american-style' gymnast totally. Nastia Liukin is an amazing 'classic-europian-style' gymnast'. I enjoyed cheering them both on.

One particular favorite of China is Kexin He( He Kexin for China). She is a gold uneven-bars kid. I don't care if she falls off...she is gold on the bars. I hope she stays on for her finals. I thought she might not make the top 2 of her team on bars to make the cut for the top 8 individuals for bars. She was doing, well...total gold routine...then missed her high-bar to low-bar salto-change and slipped off. I could have cried for her.

You know someone's routine is gold talent when they fall off and still qualify in the top 2/8 for an individual event. I do hope she hits it in finals. There is nothing like seeing a gold-potential nail their routine. I want her to hit her best. Of course, I want the US gals to hit their best too and may their best be the best! But I do love Kexin's bar routine as much as I love Artemev's pommel. China's gymnasts look great on their specialty events, but I'll pull the most for Kexin out of all of the Chinese gymnasts in the finals.

Nastia rocks...so does Johnson. Nastia got robbed on beam. She and Shawn are rock-gold-solid there; I hope they just hit those routines. Liukin will get her bar routine too.They know them...just need to not overthink it. She is giving her dad some gray hairs I think--that's all.
Go teamUSA!