ATHENS, Greece -- Bela Karolyi's right fist shook throughout the final floor exercises, the gold on the line between his native country, Romania, and his adopted land, the United States.
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| Courtney Kupets and Team USA don't have to look up to the Russian team anymore. They're up there too.(AP) |
One awkward twist, one wayward somersault, one faulty landing among any of the three gymnasts for either team would make the difference.
"I'm much more nervous sitting up here than standing on the floor," said the old bear of a coach who transformed the world of gymnastics from the East to the West.
Consigned to the uncomfortable role of spectator Tuesday night, four rows up from the floor, he watched Romania once again claim the Olympic women's team gold. The American team, which his wife Martha helped choose, train and direct at their Texas ranch, settled for silver and an extra bit of satisfaction in leaving the once-dominant Russians with bronze.
After he stood quietly, listening to the Romanian anthem during the medals ceremony, Karolyi was asked whether it was particularly painful hearing that song again at Olympic gymnastics.
"You hurt in your heart, not being able to deliver completely, but still we're very satisfied," he said. "Romania had solid and strong performances. Tonight they were best."
There was no shame in a silver that matched their male counterparts. Not for a team that had been so low, so disorganized only a few years ago.
From the chaos, complaining and blaming of Karolyi after the mess of a team he ran in Sydney, the team his wife coordinated showed the kind of poise and resolve it takes to compete at the top level.
They were a steely bunch, the six who survived the intense and secretive selection process organized by Martha Karolyi. They won three golds at the world championships last year, including the team event, and came here fully expecting to win. That they didn't was no reason to hang their heads and no reason to blame them for failure.
They made tiny mistakes -- Carly Patterson on the uneven bar, Courtney Kupets on the floor -- and paid for them.
But they could also be proud of the way 25-year-old Mohini Bhardwaj filled in at the last minute to replace Kupets on the balance beam, allowing Kupets to nurse her sore right leg a little longer before performing on the floor.
