Liukin and Johnson win Gold and Silver!

US gymnasts Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson have won the Gold andSilver Medals respectively in the woman’s all-around competition today in Beijing. It’s 1:00am New York time. I’m a little bleary eyed. But I had to congratulate the girls overcoming some nerves, and some uh…interesting judging. Congratulations ladies!

If there are any gymnastic fans out there, drop a comment, I’d love to know what you thought of the competition, the judging, and the our gymnasts.

The Ballad of Alicia Sacramone

The US women’s gymnastics team won a silver medal yesterday in Beijing, led primarily by Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson, and Alicia Sacramone.

Expectations are a funny thing in sports, as in the rest of life. When the Hamm brothers were both stricken with injuries and forced to pull out of the games, medal expectations for the US men’s gymnastics squad fell. Observers gave them a slim chance for getting a medal at all. Their subsequent bronze was considered a triumph.

Last night (on the east coast of the US anyway) the US women were in a battle for gold and holding their own. However, in the end they were 2.3 points short of their chinese rivals. There will be some that point to Alicia Sacramone, who’s fall on balance beam, and sit down on floor exercise were dramatic low points for the team. I think it is worth pointing out that each of those infractions carries an 8 tenth deduction, taken together that’s 1.6 points. Even if they hadn’t happened the women’s team would still have fallen short of gold. My point here is the ladies go in as a team and they come out as a team. Our women have nothing to be ashamed of, and I for one am immensely proud of their team effort. Congratulations Team USA on bringing home a much deserved silver medal.