China took home Olympic gold in Men’s Gymnastics with a dominating performance, while the USA Men’s Gymnastics Team took home the bronze medal with a team that came together at the last minute.
Both veteran gymnast Paul Hamm and twin brother Morgan Hamm withdrew from the Men’s Gymnastics Olympic team due to injuries. Paul broke his hand in May, while Morgan succumb to an ankle injury just days before the start of the Olympics. This opened the door to the alternates eagerly waiting for an opportunity to participate in the 20008 Beijing Olympics.
Raj Bhavsar was the alternate who replaced Paul Hamm. Previously, he failed to make the cut to be on the Olympic team in Sydney and Athens. Raj had mulled quitting gymnastics all together. By sticking with the sport, Raj became the second Indian American gymnast to win an Olympic medal. (The first to medal was Mohini Bhardwaj, who was part of the USA Women’s team which won a silver in Athens in 2004.) He had the following scores during the qualification rounds: Floor Exercise (14.175 – ranked 63rd), Parallel Bars (15.625 – ranked 19th), Rings (15.325 – ranked 16th), and Pommel Horse (14.050 – ranked 45th).
Chinese American Kevin Tan is the team captain for USA Men’s Gymnastics. Under his leadership, he was able to transform a group with different personalities into a team that felt they could win when nobody believed in them. During the qualification rounds, the team ranked 6th overall. He had the following scores during the qualification rounds: Horizontal Bar (14.425 – ranked 47th), Rings (15.725 – ranked 9th), and Pommel Horse (14.100 – ranked 41st). In the finals, he competed on the rings and pommel horse. However, Tan had a rough day on both events. As a six-time All-American, he is used to scoring in the 16s on his specialty, the rings. Tan got a low 15.425 score. Something went horribly wrong on the pommel horse and he appeared to sit on the apparatus. The mistake was costly with Tan scoring a low 12.775 points. (Bhavsar did not score well, either.)
Although USA Men’s Gymnastics Team had some troubles on the pommel horse. They had enough to hold off the German team and get bronze. With no Olympic veterans, nobody expected much from the Americans, but they pulled it off.
The events, order, and scores in which the USA Men’s Gymnastics Team competed in the finals.
• Still rings: Bhavsar (15.325), Horton (15.625), Tan (15.425)
• Vault: Bhavsar (16.125), Horton (16.200), Spring (15.900)
• Parallel bars: Bhavsar (15.575), Horton (15.625), Spring (15.850)
• Horizontal bar: Hagerty (15.550), Horton (15.700), Spring (15.675)
• Floor exercise: Spring (15.200), Hagerty (14.625), Horton (15.575)
• Pommel horse: Tan (12.775), Bhavsar (13.750), Artemev (15.350)
In the picture above, the USA Men’s Gymnastics Team, from right, Kevin Tan, Justin Spring, Jonathan Horton, Joey Hagertey, Raj Bhavsar and Alexander Artemev.
You can rewatch the Kevin Tan and Raj Bhavsar get bronze with USA Men’s Gymnastics Team here. Learn more about Asian Americans at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
