Sacramone's mistakes -- 'She's human'
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BEIJING - Alicia Sacramone could not hide, no matter how much she may have wanted to. "She just kept telling us she was sorry," Nastia Liukin said of Sacramone. "She's a human and humans are going to have mistakes." Many will regard Sacramone's unhinging as the reason China took gold and the Americans silver in the women's gymnastics team final Wednesday morning (Tuesday night in the U.S.) at the National Indoor Stadium -- though in reality the decisive blow probably occurred on the rotation's second apparatus, uneven bars. China's 49.625 to 47.975 margin over the Americans on even bars, provided a cushion the U.S. could not overcome during the final two events. It gave China a 1.125 advantage, putting pressure on the Americans to make up ground on balance beam and floor. The burden appeared to weigh on Sacramone. Performing on balance beam before the Americans, China's Cheng Fei fell and Deng Linlin had slight bobbles, giving the U.S. a slight, but still long-shot opening. There was a long delay before Sacramone took the beam. U.S. women's coach Martha Karolyi implied the unexplained delay was a ploy, but did not point fingers at anyone in particular. "It was like forever until my name came on there," Sacramone said. How long? "Like five minutes." How long can one keep their focus in that situation? "Apparently, it wasn't long enough," she said. America's chances virtually disappeared when Sacramone, the first U.S. competitor on the beam, fell while doing a backward mount. She grimaced even before she landed on her feet on the mat, and for a second she stood there, clearly devastated. Her score 15.100 meant the Americans could make up little ground in beam, despite strong performances by Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson, the Americans trailed by one point entering the floor exercise. "I told her to turn the page, and we go to the floor," U.S. coach Karolyi said, when asked what she told Sacramone after her balance-beam fall. "What else can you say? A mistake was done. All you can do is turn the page. I was hoping ... we did so much training in making them tough, making sure they had focus and concentration - and still it happened. So it's disappointing." Said Sacramone: "I tried to look past it and I tried to do the best I could on floor, keep competing. But I don't know what happened on the floor. I thought my feet were beneath me, and the next thing I know, I was on my back." Sacramone, again performing first, toppled over, sending an audible gasp (not an altogether unhappy one) through the hometown Chinese crowd. Sacramone scored a 14.125. The competition was over before the Chinese even took the floor. Johnson tried to console Sacramone by holding her hand and talking softly into her ear, but it did not seem to cushion the devastation. But the reality is that America needed to have a stronger performance on uneven bars in order to challenge the Chinese. Parker's Liukin more than did her part, turning in a 16.900, but the Chinese in effect had "two Liukins) in Yang Yilin and He Kexin. Yang scored a 16.800 while He, known in gymnastics circles as "the princess of crazy uneven bars" turned in a 16.875. Americans Liukin and Chellsie Memmel, as well as He, had fallen during their uneven bar routines during qualifying, and all eyes were on them Wednesday morning. All turned in strong performances, but the Chinese were simply better. 
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No doubt the one who was most devastated by Alicia Sacramone's falls was the gymnast herself. As the team leader she felt responsible for letting the team down. More likely the team would not have won even with solid routines from Alicia. But of even greater importance was how MS Sacramone conducted herself when interviewed by the press. She was upset but made no excuses. Her poise, character, and class were a beacon of light in an other wise stormy day. In a sport as fragile as gymnastics winning is a very fickle companion, but character is forever.
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I agree, she could have ran away after falling off the beam but instead she got back up and completed her routine knowing at 20 she will never have another opportunity to reclaim that moment or opportunity again. I hope she come out of this ok. I know I look upon her as a true champion.. gold or no gold.
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yeah shes human.
no matter, alish is the best.
i hope someday meet her.
good luck in london.
peace.
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