The improbable nearly took place Monday night (Tuesday morning in China) as the USA Gymnastics team managed to win a Bronze medal and came very close to taking home the Silver. They German team closed in at the end but it was not enough.
Team USA had been leading until the dominant China team took to the vaults, this despite injuries.
Japan, Germany, Russia, France all crumbled. Japan eventually gained their composure, taking home the silver.
The Americans were remarkably poised and committed to winning whereas reigning gold medalists Japan look unimpressive. Coming into this event, it was widely believed the Americans would take home the bronze.
It is indeed an amazing story after losing Olympic veterans Paul and Morgan Hamm to injury. Germany was widely expected to take the bronze, not team USA.
"China and Japan will fight for gold and silver, and it is up to the rest of us to fight for a bronze medal,'' predicted Germany's Fabian Hambuechen earlier in the day. Hambuechen finished second behind China's Yang Wei in the all-around qualifying.
"To make a major team personnel change, compete in the first subdivision and qualify for the team finals is a huge accomplishment,'' U.S. coach Kevin Mazeika said Saturday after his team performed well. (In fact, the Americans probably were scored low because they went in the first group, when judges tend to hold back on awarding high points.)
Jonathan Horton and Sasha Artemev advanced to Thursday's individual all-around competition, becoming the only Americans to qualify for event finals.
"We just need to keep doing what we're doing,'' Tan said. "We've started something great.''
After leading the USA men's gymnastics team in the qualifying round, former Sooner Jonathan Horton was spectacular Monday night.
Team USA fell behind at the end with the Pommel Horse event but still managed to cling on to placement.
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