Our American Champions

They are an enchanting contrast. Miniature physiques. Mammoth tenacity. They are charming. They are vigilant. They are daughters, students, and teenagers. They are athletes, opponents, and teammates. Despite their prominence, they are not combative. They are not unsociable. They are as stated. Adorable competitors. Exquisite rivals.

In the women’s gymnastics all around, Nastia Liukin garnered gold. Shawn Johnson scored silver. Yilin Yang bagged bronze. The scoring was controversial. Excellent routines were undervalued. Ordinary routines were overvalued. Ultimately, a perfect pair equaled expectations. Johnson and Liukin were extolled. Liukin and Johnson did not disillusion.

On the vault, Liukin and Johnson swapped 15.525. On the uneven bars, Johnson outscored Liukin 15.875-15.025. On the balance beam, Liukin outscored Johnson 16.650 to 15.275. On the floor exercise, Liukin acquired her accolade. She outscored Johnson 16.125-16.050.

From 1952-1992, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics governed gymnastics. Ten gold medals. Seven all around champions. America’s only success was notorious. The Soviets boycotted. Americans were runners and swimmers. On this evening, aspirations are altered. American gymnasts are consecutive champions.