Beijing: 08-08-2008

[Taualumna]

Because Asian women tend to be smaller, I don't think it was fair for the US media to compare the Chinese team to the US team, since there isn't an Asian athlete in the women's artistic gymnastics team. I did compare the Chinese team with the Japanese team, and there is a good 1 1/2"-2" difference on average for height and about 5-8 lb in weight. Many of the Japanese girls were around 4'11" and 85 lb, pretty normal for a 16 year old gymnast, I think. There was one tiny girl who is 4'7" but she isn't being singled out.

[Kevin]

The smoking gun has been discovered (and promptly taken off the internet by the Chinese gov't media).

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...sts/index.html

BEIJING (AP) -- Just nine months before the Beijing Olympics, the Chinese government's news agency, Xinhua, reported that gymnast He Kexin was 13, which would have made her ineligible to be on the team that won a gold medal this week.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by Kevin

The smoking gun has been discovered (and promptly taken off the internet by the Chinese gov't media).

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...sts/index.html

Ooo, take the gold back, TAKE THE GOLD BACK!!!

(money says it'll never happen)

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

Because Asian women tend to be smaller, I don't think it was fair for the US media to compare the Chinese team to the US team, since there isn't an Asian athlete in the women's artistic gymnastics team. I did compare the Chinese team with the Japanese team, and there is a good 1 1/2"-2" difference on average for height and about 5-8 lb in weight. Many of the Japanese girls were around 4'11" and 85 lb, pretty normal for a 16 year old gymnast, I think. There was one tiny girl who is 4'7" but she isn't being singled out.

Soooooo . . . even between the Asian women, the Chinese team is significantly shorter and about 10% lighter?

Soooooo . . . like, maybe a couple of years younger?

[KSigkid]

This may have been just me, but from the non-sports side, was anyone a little bothered by Mary Carillo's (sp?) talking about Chinese cuisine last night? She tried a bunch of different things (fried Scorpion, duck's feet, etc.) and made it seem like some "Fear Factor" event. I can understand that it's not what we eat here, but she was making the comments right in front of the people who prepared the food. It annoyed me a bit, like it was playing right into the "Ignorant American Tourist" stereotype. Not to mention that it's a bit rude to turn your nose up at someone's cooking when they're standing right there.

I don't know; maybe I've been watching too much Anthony Bourdain, but that whole segment was kind of ridiculous.

[Taualumna]

Question: Does anyone know if the rule states that you actually have to actually be 16 or if it's that you have to turn 16 the year you compete?

Because one girl on the Japanese team doesn't turn 16 until September. Unless there's some sort of typo.

[nittanyalum]

Originally Posted by Taualumna

Question: Does anyone know if the rule states that you actually have to actually be 16 or if it's that you have to turn 16 the year you compete?

Because one girl on the Japanese team doesn't turn 16 until September. Unless there's some sort of typo.

This is what the SI article said:

Gymnasts have to be 16 during the Olympic year to be eligible for the games.

So technically, she's eligible.

[Taualumna]

Originally Posted by nittanyalum

This is what the SI article said: So technically, she's eligible.

OK thanks.

[ComradesTrue]

Change of topic....

Ooooooh... Federer-er-er just lost! Holy Moly!

I was really hoping for another Nadel/Federer final.