Romania and the United States look set to duel again for gold in the women's artistic gymnastics after dominating team qualifying Sunday
Published:
16 August 2004 y., Monday
Romania, the 2000 champion, qualified the highest with 152.436 points while the Americans scored 151.848, stumbling to turn a 0.99-point lead halfway through the meet into a deficit of 0.588.
The Americans are the reigning world champions and the Romanians won gold four years ago in Sydney.
China, which finished third in Sydney, wasn't far behind, finishing with 151.085 points after competing in the evening session. Russia, the 2000 silver medalist, was fourth in qualifying with 149.420.
Ukraine, France, Spain and Australia also qualified for the teams final -- with Brazil, Canada, Britain and North Korea missing out.
"Other teams have more experience but we will do our best," China coach Lu Shanzhen said. "The Chinese will be the best because we are the best team in the world. In the team final we will do better than we did today."
Sunday's preliminaries involved six gymnasts, five performing on each apparatus and the top four scores counting. The system changes for Tuesday's team finals to a "6-3-3" -- six gymnasts on a team, three compete on each event, three scores count.
Šaltinis:
sportsillustrated.cnn.com
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
FIFA's decision to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cup soccer finals to Russia and Qatar brings mixed reactions from rivals.
more »
Proponents of a workout routine involving what is commonly referred to as a stripper pole, promote the fitness craze as a sport.
more »
Wearing rubber sumo suits, athletes compete in the stupid and challenging Sumo Suit Athletic Championships in London.
more »
Fans react after Argentine soccer officials vote not to renew Diego Maradona's contract.
more »
With two months left to FIBA World Championship which starts on 28 August in Turkey, a long term sponsor of the National Team DnB NORD Bank designed a special Basketball Deposit Plan that offers double benefit.
more »
A parakeet called Mani in Singapore's Little India picks the Netherlands to win the World Cup after correctly predicting Spain would beat Germany in the semi-finals.
more »
A jeweller in South Africa turns admiration for World Cup stadiums into diamond studded adornments.
more »
The oracle octopus Paul goes on with his world Cup forecasts and opted for Spain over Germany in the semifinal.
more »
The Netherlands defeated Uruguay, 3-2, to advance to the World Cup final for the first time since 1978.
more »
Paul the octopus bids to continue his predicting success as he forecasts a win for Germany over Argentina.
more »