正文
Aussie judge blasted
The uneven bars final ended in controversy and mass confusion last night, with Australian judge Helen Colaguiri at its core. Silver medallist Nastia Liukin\'s father and coach, dual 1988 gold medallist Valeri Liukin, accused Australian judges in general of repeated bias against his daughter, who lost the gold to China\'s He Kexin in an apparatus final decided by just 0.033 points in the second tier of a complex new tiebreaker system.
Both gymnasts had start values of 7.7 and were awarded execution scores of 9.025, making a total of 16.725. But He won the gold because of fewer deductions, assisted by Colaguiri\'s clear preference for the Chinese girl\'s routine, despite He not sticking her landing, while Liukin did. Overall, Colaguiri awarded He 9.300 for execution, compared with 9.00, the greatest disparity among the panel of six.
Valery Liukin said it was not the first time Nastia, the all-around gold medallist, had suffered at the hands of an Australian adjudicator, having lost a world title in similar circumstances. Not that particular (judge); same country. I don\'t want to go any farther with that, he said.
Nastia Liukin said she was confused by the fact that the scores were identical, yet she was listed second behind He. I honestly was in shock, she said. I knew I didn\'t have my best routine. When I saw we got the same score and my name was second, it was weird. Asked whether the tiebreaker rules should be simplified, she replied: Honestly, it\'s nothing I can control. It\'s been pretty fair to me. I\'ve got the biggest medal in gymnastics there is. I did my job and I don\'t have any regrets. It\'s sad, but I\'ve got four medals, and I am tied with my Dad.
International Gymnastics Federation spokesman Philippe Silacci said it was the first time the tiebreak rule has been used to determine an Olympic medal, the system having been introduced after the Atlanta Games in 1996. Sensationally, it was needed twice in one night, having also been used to split vault champion Leszek Blanik and runner-up Thomas Bouhail, who both scored 16.537.
All-around bronze medallist Yang Yilin had been the leading qualifier, but due more to the uncharacteristic mistakes of He and Liukin, the only other two gymnasts to have scored 17s on the apparatus this season but the pair favoured slightly to duel for gold. And so it proved, even if no-one could have predicted how close the contest would be, and Liukin said she believed Yilin (16.650) had been underscored.
Stylistically, they have little in common - 18-year-old Liukin is fully 18 centimetres taller, long and lean and know for her classic lines and elegant form, while tiny 33-kilogram He is compact and dynamic, neatly executing complex manoeuvres. As for her birthday, her passport says one thing, internet records apparently suggest something else, as one of up to three Chinese gymnasts suspected of being underage.
Earlier, reigning two-time world champion Chen Yibing (16.600) and new Olympic all-around champion Yang Wei (16.425) swept the top two medals on the still rings, leaving the bronze to Ukrainian Oleksandr Vorobiov (16.325). It has been a triumphant meet for the host nation, which regained the team title on the opening day of finals; indeed, the
the only men\'s gold that China may not win is on vault, having not qualified a representative among the top eight.
The final three artistic gold medals, on men\'s parallel bars and high bar and the women\'s balance beam, for which Australia\'s Shona Morgan is the first reserve, will be decided tonight. Among the first four, China continued its sweep of the men\'s titles through Zou Kai (floor) and Xiao Qin (pommel horse). Zou\'s result was an upset, as were both women\'s outcomes, with Romania\'s Sandra Izbasa edging Shawn Johnson and Liukin on floor and Korea\'s Hong Un-jong winning the vault from Germany\'s Oksana Chusovitina, while triple world champion Cheng Fei fell into third.
But Chusovitina\'s is the most fascinating story. A five-time Olympian who won a team gold medal in 1992 with the Unified Team from the former Soviet Union, she is 33, or the gymnastics\' equivalent of a supergeriatric. She is a mother, competing against schoolgirls old enough to be her daughters, the oldest by a decade in a women\'s competition in which the major controversy has involved competitors who are alleged to be underage.
Born and raised in Uzbekistan, for whom she first competed, she was prompted to move to Cologne to access specialist medical treatment for her son, Alisher, now nine, when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in 2002. With her husband, former Olympic wrestler Bakhodir Kurbanov, Chusovitina raised more than $200,000 through clinics, exhibitions and donations. The treatment was a success.
So, too, is Chusovitina, who now has a first individual Olympic medal. Even more astonishing is that it may not be her last. I could go to London in 2012, she said. I will only be 37.
Stylistically, they have little in common - 18-year-old Liukin is fully 18 centimetres taller, long and lean and know for her classic lines and elegant form, while tiny 33-kilogram He is compact and dynamic, neatly executing complex manoeuvres. As for her birthday, her passport says one thing, internet records apparently suggest something else, as one of up to three Chinese gymnasts suspected of being underage.
Earlier, reigning two-time world champion Chen Yibing (16.600) and new Olympic all-around champion Yang Wei (16.425) swept the top two medals on the still rings, leaving the bronze to Ukrainian Oleksandr Vorobiov (16.325). It has been a triumphant meet for the host nation, which regained the team title on the opening day of finals; indeed, the
the only men\'s gold that China may not win is on vault, having not qualified a representative among the top eight.
The final three artistic gold medals, on men\'s parallel bars and high bar and the women\'s balance beam, for which Australia\'s Shona Morgan is the first reserve, will be decided tonight. Among the first four, China continued its sweep of the men\'s titles through Zou Kai (floor) and Xiao Qin (pommel horse). Zou\'s result was an upset, as were both women\'s outcomes, with Romania\'s Sandra Izbasa edging Shawn Johnson and Liukin on floor and Korea\'s Hong Un-jong winning the vault from Germany\'s Oksana Chusovitina, while triple world champion Cheng Fei fell into third.
But Chusovitina\'s is the most fascinating story. A five-time Olympian who won a team gold medal in 1992 with the Unified Team from the former Soviet Union, she is 33, or the gymnastics\' equivalent of a supergeriatric. She is a mother, competing against schoolgirls old enough to be her daughters, the oldest by a decade in a women\'s competition in which the major controversy has involved competitors who are alleged to be underage.
Born and raised in Uzbekistan, for whom she first competed, she was prompted to move to Cologne to access specialist medical treatment for her son, Alisher, now nine, when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in 2002. With her husband, former Olympic wrestler Bakhodir Kurbanov, Chusovitina raised more than $200,000 through clinics, exhibitions and donations. The treatment was a success.
So, too, is Chusovitina, who now has a first individual Olympic medal. Even more astonishing is that it may not be her last. I could go to London in 2012, she said. I will only be 37.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/gymnastics/aussie-judge-blasted/2008/08/19/1218911603218.html
The uneven bars final ended in controversy and mass confusion last night, with Australian judge Helen Colaguiri at its core. Silver medallist Nastia Liukin\'s father and coach, dual 1988 gold medallist Valeri Liukin, accused Australian judges in general of repeated bias against his daughter, who lost the gold to China\'s He Kexin in an apparatus final decided by just 0.033 points in the second tier of a complex new tiebreaker system.
Both gymnasts had start values of 7.7 and were awarded execution scores of 9.025, making a total of 16.725. But He won the gold because of fewer deductions, assisted by Colaguiri\'s clear preference for the Chinese girl\'s routine, despite He not sticking her landing, while Liukin did. Overall, Colaguiri awarded He 9.300 for execution, compared with 9.00, the greatest disparity among the panel of six.
Valery Liukin said it was not the first time Nastia, the all-around gold medallist, had suffered at the hands of an Australian adjudicator, having lost a world title in similar circumstances. Not that particular (judge); same country. I don\'t want to go any farther with that, he said.
Nastia Liukin said she was confused by the fact that the scores were identical, yet she was listed second behind He. I honestly was in shock, she said. I knew I didn\'t have my best routine. When I saw we got the same score and my name was second, it was weird. Asked whether the tiebreaker rules should be simplified, she replied: Honestly, it\'s nothing I can control. It\'s been pretty fair to me. I\'ve got the biggest medal in gymnastics there is. I did my job and I don\'t have any regrets. It\'s sad, but I\'ve got four medals, and I am tied with my Dad.
International Gymnastics Federation spokesman Philippe Silacci said it was the first time the tiebreak rule has been used to determine an Olympic medal, the system having been introduced after the Atlanta Games in 1996. Sensationally, it was needed twice in one night, having also been used to split vault champion Leszek Blanik and runner-up Thomas Bouhail, who both scored 16.537.
All-around bronze medallist Yang Yilin had been the leading qualifier, but due more to the uncharacteristic mistakes of He and Liukin, the only other two gymnasts to have scored 17s on the apparatus this season but the pair favoured slightly to duel for gold. And so it proved, even if no-one could have predicted how close the contest would be, and Liukin said she believed Yilin (16.650) had been underscored.
Stylistically, they have little in common - 18-year-old Liukin is fully 18 centimetres taller, long and lean and know for her classic lines and elegant form, while tiny 33-kilogram He is compact and dynamic, neatly executing complex manoeuvres. As for her birthday, her passport says one thing, internet records apparently suggest something else, as one of up to three Chinese gymnasts suspected of being underage.
Earlier, reigning two-time world champion Chen Yibing (16.600) and new Olympic all-around champion Yang Wei (16.425) swept the top two medals on the still rings, leaving the bronze to Ukrainian Oleksandr Vorobiov (16.325). It has been a triumphant meet for the host nation, which regained the team title on the opening day of finals; indeed, the
the only men\'s gold that China may not win is on vault, having not qualified a representative among the top eight.
The final three artistic gold medals, on men\'s parallel bars and high bar and the women\'s balance beam, for which Australia\'s Shona Morgan is the first reserve, will be decided tonight. Among the first four, China continued its sweep of the men\'s titles through Zou Kai (floor) and Xiao Qin (pommel horse). Zou\'s result was an upset, as were both women\'s outcomes, with Romania\'s Sandra Izbasa edging Shawn Johnson and Liukin on floor and Korea\'s Hong Un-jong winning the vault from Germany\'s Oksana Chusovitina, while triple world champion Cheng Fei fell into third.
But Chusovitina\'s is the most fascinating story. A five-time Olympian who won a team gold medal in 1992 with the Unified Team from the former Soviet Union, she is 33, or the gymnastics\' equivalent of a supergeriatric. She is a mother, competing against schoolgirls old enough to be her daughters, the oldest by a decade in a women\'s competition in which the major controversy has involved competitors who are alleged to be underage.
Born and raised in Uzbekistan, for whom she first competed, she was prompted to move to Cologne to access specialist medical treatment for her son, Alisher, now nine, when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in 2002. With her husband, former Olympic wrestler Bakhodir Kurbanov, Chusovitina raised more than $200,000 through clinics, exhibitions and donations. The treatment was a success.
So, too, is Chusovitina, who now has a first individual Olympic medal. Even more astonishing is that it may not be her last. I could go to London in 2012, she said. I will only be 37.
Stylistically, they have little in common - 18-year-old Liukin is fully 18 centimetres taller, long and lean and know for her classic lines and elegant form, while tiny 33-kilogram He is compact and dynamic, neatly executing complex manoeuvres. As for her birthday, her passport says one thing, internet records apparently suggest something else, as one of up to three Chinese gymnasts suspected of being underage.
Earlier, reigning two-time world champion Chen Yibing (16.600) and new Olympic all-around champion Yang Wei (16.425) swept the top two medals on the still rings, leaving the bronze to Ukrainian Oleksandr Vorobiov (16.325). It has been a triumphant meet for the host nation, which regained the team title on the opening day of finals; indeed, the
the only men\'s gold that China may not win is on vault, having not qualified a representative among the top eight.
The final three artistic gold medals, on men\'s parallel bars and high bar and the women\'s balance beam, for which Australia\'s Shona Morgan is the first reserve, will be decided tonight. Among the first four, China continued its sweep of the men\'s titles through Zou Kai (floor) and Xiao Qin (pommel horse). Zou\'s result was an upset, as were both women\'s outcomes, with Romania\'s Sandra Izbasa edging Shawn Johnson and Liukin on floor and Korea\'s Hong Un-jong winning the vault from Germany\'s Oksana Chusovitina, while triple world champion Cheng Fei fell into third.
But Chusovitina\'s is the most fascinating story. A five-time Olympian who won a team gold medal in 1992 with the Unified Team from the former Soviet Union, she is 33, or the gymnastics\' equivalent of a supergeriatric. She is a mother, competing against schoolgirls old enough to be her daughters, the oldest by a decade in a women\'s competition in which the major controversy has involved competitors who are alleged to be underage.
Born and raised in Uzbekistan, for whom she first competed, she was prompted to move to Cologne to access specialist medical treatment for her son, Alisher, now nine, when he was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia in 2002. With her husband, former Olympic wrestler Bakhodir Kurbanov, Chusovitina raised more than $200,000 through clinics, exhibitions and donations. The treatment was a success.
So, too, is Chusovitina, who now has a first individual Olympic medal. Even more astonishing is that it may not be her last. I could go to London in 2012, she said. I will only be 37.
http://www.theage.com.au/news/gymnastics/aussie-judge-blasted/2008/08/19/1218911603218.html
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