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Liukin Loses Gold In Tiebreak

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A Tribune wire report

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 19, 2008

BEIJING - From the minute that she stuck her dismount, Nastia Liukin sensed that her performance may not have been golden.

But she didn't really lose the Olympics' uneven bars gold medal on the floor Monday. She lost it in the rule book.

After Liukin and China's He Kexin both were awarded the event's highest scores, 16.725, He was given the gold medal because of a seldom-used tiebreaker rule.
According to the rules established by the world governing body of gymnastics, FIG, there are six tiebreakers for settling ties. The Chinese gymnast edged Liukin on the second listed tiebreaker - average of the three lowest of the four counting B-jury deductions.

There are two groups of judges in gymnastics. The "A" panel calculates a score based upon the value of a gymnast's actual routine. The "B" panel looks for deductions based on the execution of the routine.

Using that to determine the outcome, He had a .933 score in deductions. Liukin lost .966, giving the advantage to He.

Liukin admitted her bars routine wasn't perfect. But with her start value of 7.7 and her artistry in this, her favorite event, it had all the looks of a possible gold-medal performance.

He was sensational as well, but unlike Liukin, who nailed her landing, the Chinese gymnast took an extra crossover step on her dismount.

"I still don't know how they broke the tie," Liukin said after the medal ceremony. "I guess one judge liked her better.

"But, like my dad said, at the end of the day, I have the most important medal," she said of the all-around gold. "That's the most important thing."

In winning her second silver medal and fourth overall of these Games, Nastia tied her father in the suddenly "important" Liukin family Olympic medal standings. She will go for her own tiebreaker, of sorts, today when she competes on the balance beam.

BASEBALL: The United States beat China 9-1 in a game that featured three ejections.
Jake Arrieta struck out seven in six shutout innings and Taylor Teagarden and Nate Schierholtz each hit two-run doubles for the U.S.

BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Defending Olympic champions Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor of the United States will play for another gold medal after advancing to the championship game with a straight-sets victory over Brazil.

The Americans beat Renata and Talita 21-12, 21-14 for their 107th consecutive victory, clinching at least a silver medal.

The United States has now reached the podium in all four Olympic tournaments since beach volleyball was added to the Games in 1996.

EQUESTRIAN: The U.S. won the gold medal in equestrian team jumping, knocking out Canada, which won the silver.

The U.S. got clear rounds from its first three riders - McLain Ward, Laura Kraut and Will Simpson - in the jump-off. Jill Henselwood knocked down a fence leading off for Canada, and since Canada only had three riders remaining to the Americans' four, that clinched the U.S. gold.

SOCCER: Angela Hucles scored a goal in each half to lead the U.S. women's team to a 4-2 win against Japan and another Olympic final against Brazil.

The U.S. had to rally from an early deficit after Japan's Yukari Kinga opened the scoring in the 16th minute, but Hucles netted the equalizer from the 6-meter line in the 41st and Lori Chalupny put the Americans ahead after beating two defenders in the 44th.

Heather O'Reilly added to the lead with a long-range shot in the 70th, and Hucles closed the scoring Monday in the 80th with a crossing shot that caught Japan goalkeeper Miho Fukumoto by surprise.

Brazil sealed a place in the final by beating Germany 4-1.

VOLLEYBALL: The U.S. men wrapped up pool play 5-0, beating winless Japan in three sets. This was their second game with Coach Hugh McCutcheon back on the sideline. He missed the first three matches after his in-laws were attacked at a tourist spot in Beijing. The Americans play Serbia on Wednesday in the quarterfinals.

WATER POLO: The U.S. men beat Germany 8-7 and won their preliminary group, earning an automatic berth in the semifinals. The Americans are guaranteed of finishing at least fourth, which would match their best since 1988.

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