AN: Happy belated St. Patrick's Day everybody! I planned on posting this yesterday, but too many Irish Eyes, damn that Irish blood that flows freely in my body... :P
Enjoy!
Chapter 29: The Dream Team: Magnificent 7
The following night, Monday night, during the Men's Optionals, the Americans experienced several errors, including two falls on pommel horse, but still accumulated the fifth-highest optional total to finish fifth in the overall final team standings. Women watched from the stands as the men had a disappointing men's team finals. But as disappointed the men were, this was the best finish for the USA men since 1984, and an unquestionably significant improvement over the ninth place ranking just eight months ago. John Roethlisberger (5th), Blaine Wilson (12th), and John Macready (33rd) will represent the USA in all-around finals on Wednesday night. Additionally, Wilson had qualified to rings finals and Jair Lynch has qualified to parallel bars finals. In 1992, Lynch was less than .1 from the bronze medal on parallel bars. Russia convincingly seized the first place position on the podium, and accepted their medal with a standing ovation from the rowdy American crowd. The defending world champions, the Chinese, suffered three falls on high bar, but was brilliant on parallel bars where they placed four athletes among the top ten. The Ukrainians finished third, while Belarus was less than two-tenths behind in 4th place.
Alexei Nemov from Russia leads the all-around qualifiers, although with new-life finals, he holds no advantage entering the all-around finals competition. Nemov has also qualified for five finals, all except rings. Five other Russians have also grabbed event final berths. Belarus' Vitaly Scherbo, who won six gold medals at the 1992 Olympics, has qualified to all-around finals in second place, and has four event finals berths. World champion Li Xiaoshuang erred in compulsory on rings and so qualifies to the all-around in 6th place. Despite placing among the top eight on four events, Li does not advance to pommel horse or parallel bar finals because two of his teammates placed ahead of him on each event, and only two per country may advance to each apparatus final. The men talk to the ladies team after the finish of the night and tell them to make up for this up by winning tomorrow night.
Next Morning
Kimberly woke up surrounded by her teammates; her sisters about to go into battle tonight. Kimberly sat up with a smile. It was July 23rd, Tuesday morning. Last night after the men's team final, the ladies wanted to do something special and make their team unbreakable. They pushed 3 beds together and slept as one team while watching an uplifting movie.
"Morning," Shannon said yawning. She had been laying awake for the past 10 minutes wondering which girl would wake up first. She had a feeling Kimberly would be the second one to wake.
"Morning!"
"How you feeling?"
"Too many things at once to talk about and make sense of it."
"Me too," Shannon said sitting up. "I felt the same in Barcelona. Well, come on girls! It's 9 o'clock, we got like 10 hours of sleep last night!" Shannon slapped DD on the butt. DD groaned.
"We don't have to be anywhere until 11, wake me in another hour!" Dominique cried out.
"No! Amanda and I have a surprise for the team."
"I do," Amanda mumbled sitting up next. She wiped the sleep from her eyes.
"Yes,we do." Amanda groaned and fell back to the bed. Kerri and DD covered their faces with a pillow to shield from the bright sunlight. Kimberly watched Shannon get a box from her closet.
"So, your captain and I have a special treat for you ladies."
"Please tell me, those are better suits than the ones the committee made us wear for Compulsories."
"How did you know?" Shannon asked Kimberly. Kimberly smiled.
"I somewhat peaked when you signed for that big box."
"Kimberly Ann Hart, how dare you!" Amanda yelled.
"Oh well, you're gonna love those. I got specialty made suits for us." The ladies were handed their suits. The American suit was a white bodysuit, sparkling American flag, stars and stripes across the chest, and solid blue right arm.
"These are hot."
"I know! I love the idea of the American flag…"
"And the solid blue arm just perfectly fits."
They arrived to the Georgia Dome Arena, where they knew in just a few hours from now, tonight the crowds would succeed over 30,000 cheering and awaiting for their American princesses. The Women's Olympic gymnastic team arrived to the media center. There was a long table empty waiting for them. The cameramen and new reporters were anxiously waiting to talk to the young girls before tonight's huge competition. The girls came in all dressed in their blue USA matching jumpsuits. Kimberly sat down to flashes of cameras on her. Kimberly had to shield her eyes at first to the blinding light. Questions were tossed at the young gymnasts for over an hour. Kimberly goes into the Women's competition knowing all eyes were on her to stand out the most.
Tommy and the guys piled into the stands with the rest of the giant crowd over an hour before the USA team would be coming out. Rocky had his camera rolling from the first moment they arrived. It was just 5:30 pm. They had got to see the last part of the Optional Competition warm-ups for the third session. The American team was training in the last session where the gold would be settled tonight. The USA team was in the backroom after finishing up their warm ups, for their last peppy talk together before the big match. The coaches had already given their speeches.
"Okay, ladies, let's come together," Amanda said. They made a circle with their arms around each other. "I don't have to tell you all how important this night is gonna be. I think we already know and can sense that. I need your greatest tonight ladies, not just your best. We will have fun, we will help and talk each other through every singleroutine, through everyone's performances tonight. This place is going to be rocking from the first moment we step out there from behind these curtains. And there won't be a quiet moment because we're not going to let it get quiet, okay. I am ready and I'm positive everyone here and around the country is hoping, waiting for something magically to happen here, let's give it to them. Let's ride that carpet together. Team USA on 3?" Amanda asked as she put her hand out.
"Win on 3," Kimberly said. Everyone smiled and placed their hands on top of one another.
"Win on 3. 1, 2, 3…"
"WIN!"
Optionals Competition
A woman carrying the USA panel came to give the girls their final 5-minute warning. Kimberly took deep breaths. Each girl had fixed the other's hair to make sure everyone looked gorgeous and fierce(Christian Siriano rocks! Ilovehim!)as Kimberly put it.
"Okay Amanda, lead us out Captain," Shannon said with a smile. All the ladies saluted her with smiles. Amanda laughed. The crowd seemingly sense their arrivals jumped into a roar of excitement when the USA panel appeared. Amanda was the only one not starting the competition on the first rotation with bars, so she came out in her full USA jacket and pants. The other 6 girls stood proud in their white American flag bodysuits with their bags on their shoulders. The coaches walked behind the girls smiling. They were required to sit in stands made for all coaches. They weren't allowed on the floor with the girls, only Béla(personal coaches can switch in when needed)and a female trainee coach. The girls marched out, as if going to war, which this was a war for the Olympic gold medal. Each girl carried a cool face with a smile to the crowd. Each team to start the competition went to their respected apparatuses to start the Olympic Team Finals. Romania on beam, Ukraine on floor, the Russians started on vault, China with a bye this first round.
BarsThe girls went to their area in the arena and started preparing for the uneven bars. They put their bags down and went to warm up on the uneven bars. Kimberly was slightly nervous as she put on her handgrips after white tape around her wrists. The 6 girls first walked in a line to face the judges. Coaches set up the 6 ladies that were going to compete like so, Kerri first, Amy, Kimberly, Dominique, Shannon and DD. Uneven bars for this American team was a strength, in the sense because each girl had difficulty throughout all of their routines, from start to finish there is no dying off on any performance. They all had very well composed routines.
Announcer 1: You can hear the floor exercise music for the Ukraine.
Announcer 2: John, this US team has very well controlled and spectacular programs.
Kerri started off the competition with the first bam, as she hit her dismount, because when she is on. And she is really on with her stuck landing. With Kerri being first up, she hits her 2 key release moves and not the last American gymnast revealing a new dismount tonight. She received hugs from the others. But she was more into Amy's performance.
"Let's go Amy!" She shouted pulling on her pants. And it was a domino effect for the American women on uneven bars, one great exercise after the other. Every time one of the girls landed their bars' dismount, it was a bam that shook the crowd from their seats as American fans cheered so loud waving their tiny American flags with honor. Each of the ladies' personal coaches talking their girls through her exercise from the stands, as the other girls on the team did the same because they all knew their exercises having worked together for so long. Kimberly followed Amy on bars. Amy was just too cool and just so neat on bars. She landed her very difficult double twisting, double tuck somersault, 2 flips, 2 twists and she sticks the landing with a pop. Kimberly mounted the bars from the lower bar. She did a few swing pirouettes as she caught the high bar with a toe-on Hecht. Kimberly did her 2 release moves, full twisting giant right into her second one a Jaeger. Kimberly did her Gienger after a few swings, her third release move next right down into her straddle back to a handstand on the low bar. She was on, hitting all elements with perfect toe point and straight handstands. For Kimberly's all-around competition though, Kimberly would be performing these same 3 release moves. A Gienger right into her overshoot to the low bar, but that's another night.
Announcer 3: Not a mistake so far from this entire US team, and the fireworks yet to come with Shannon and Dawes to end it.
Kimberly landed her double layout the way you are supposed to, arms held high with a huge smile on your face. She ran over to the girls who were waiting for her. They all hugged Kimberly. Kimberly got a 9.800 just below Amy's for the highest score for the Americans so far.
"Let's go Lil Domini!" Kimberly shouted pulling off herhandgrips and tape. Dominique was thethird American to reveal a new dismount. A full twisting double layout. She fought for that dismount, swinging her arms, but she held on toher stuck landing. Shannon followed and DD last up.
Announcer 2: And here comes Dawes's dismount. She sticks it!
Kimberly was the most improved on bars. DD does the release move, which is the highest of all gymnasts. The scores, 49.070 final team score, lowest score 9.725 was dropped. After all the girls stuck their landings to perfection. The USA team into first place with a high score of 242.742 leading the Russians by 0.472. The scores were as followed, 9.725, 9.837, 9.800, 9.750, 9.833, and 9.850. The standings after the first rotation appeared in red for the first time that evening causing another eruption from the crowd. Everyone finally saw the scoreboard as well.
Announcer 1: They did! They are in the lead!
"Oh my god!"
"America's in the lead!" Tommy yelled.
"Way to go USA!" Aisha shouted.
"USA! USA!" Tommy started for the crowd. The crowd repeated as the girls quickly loaded up their bags and carried them over to the beam, their next apparatus. Kimberly lead the way to the beam. She was going to be the anchor on that rotation.
The ladies moved to beam, as the USA women's team had taken the lead from Russia for the first time in the history of women's team gymnastics. The girls re-powdered their hands, as they got ready for warm-ups on beam. They were happy to be in first place in the team standing so soon, but knew there were still 3 more rotations for them to compete in. It was a bit odd, though heavily favorites on balance beam, this was where 2 nights ago it caused the girls many problems during the Compulsories competition, with many balance checks from each girl at the beginning. Kimberly was performing her dismount, when her foot miss the beam on her second back flip it caused Kimberly to just do a simple back flip off the beam instead of her Arabian double front. Kimberly looked at the beam as she walked back. Dominique hopped on the beam immediately and did her sequence. Kimberly went to the side to do her flipping sequence on the flat ground. Kimberly ended her 3 back walkovers with a layout. She held her hands high. Shannon just finished warming up her flipping sequence on beam and jumped off to let Kimberly do her sequence.
Beam
Announcer 1: Now this American team is moving from bars in first place for the first time in American history.
Announcer 3: Now, I don't want to repeat this, but beam is 4 feet off the ground, 4 inches wide. This is going to prove to be toughest task rotation for each of the ladies. If they all stick it, we are looking at the most spectacular 6 performances perhaps in the competition tonight.
Amanda was first up on beam. Amy was taking off this rotation. Beam was not her strongest exercise. Amanda was selected to start first on the ever difficult and always challenging beam because she was solid and great starter to set the rotation for the team. Amanda looked posed as if that fall 2nights ago was a fluke. She didn't have the balance checks; she was rock-solid and confident on beam. She didn't have the exciting difficultelements like Kimberly, Dominique or Shannon, but she did the job as the first person on beam is to do. Stay on. Stay on and give it your greatest. Amanda landed her double back with her hands held high. Dominique Dawes next followed after Kerri, DominiqueM followedDawes with the most intriguing and weird entry on beam, and was great, fighting yet again for her dismount, with Shannon and Kimberly to end. Shannon, who some people like to say, was in the tow of the shadows behind Kimberly and DominiqueM, but is always the most solid competitor on beam.
Announcer 2: I don't know what these coaches said to the American ladies, but tonight they have come out on fire ahead of the Russians, and even though they came out on the Compulsories a bit rattled on beam like many teams, not tonight, none of that. It's great
Announcer1: But we must keep our eyes on the Russians, on uneven bars, trying to make a comeback
Announcer 2: Coaches could not have prepared these ladies any better. They were together for 3 weeks in a training facility in Colorado, in a coliseum with a podium. And to top it off with an exhibition competition in front of a crowd, which gave them a better feeling of the Olympics Games much better than their experience in Barcelona just 4 years ago.
Announcer 1: Now here is Kimberly Hart.
Kimberly looked at the beam at her side. She took a deep breath before raising her arms to the judges after the green flag went up. Kimberly took another breath as she closed her eyes and placed her hands on the beam. Kimberly lifted herself onto the beam in a full split onto the beam as she mounted it.
Announcer 2: Right off the back, she is not backing down with a full twisting back flip. Let's listen in with her coach.
Kimberly did some arm moves before she rose up and stood idly for a few second. The audience on tv listened as Coach Russo was talking Kimberly from the moment the flag rose for her turn. Kimberly did some dance moves with her arms and legs as she moved along the beam.
"Nice arms, nicetoes, get someheight, stay tight, yes, yes…be strong, be strong! Yes! Hold it! Good girl! Good girl!" Coach Russo yelling. Kimberly did her full twist back flip causing the crowd to clap loudly when she hit the beam perfectly.
Announcer 2: Perfect! She did it!
Announcer 3: And here is another key portion of her routine….
Kimberly took a slight breath before she went into her front aerial right into her flipping sequence.
Announcer 2: Here's where you are gonna hear the crowd roar!
Kimberly paused briefly before going into her 3 back walkover, last one in a layout position, no handed. "Stand up straight,great, nice, no pause, go go go goooo! Yes!" The crowd cheered again as she stood up tall with a small smile after hitting her layout. Kimberly did some lower beam work into her handstand. "Hold it, hold, hold...good, good... Good!" She arched herself into a perfect position before she shifted to one hand on the beam, before Kimberly stood back up. The crowd loved that move. "Chin up Kim! Stay tight!" Kimberly did a single spin. Then she did a split leap into another one before she turned on the beam. "Yes! Chin up! Stay focus!" Kimberly ran down the beam and did her punch front flip into a pike jump. "Yes!"
Announcer 3: It is so easy to doubt yourself on beam, that doesn't mean you fall off, but you have slight balance checks, but Kimberly has had none of that. Just the dismount left to do, she fell earlier in warm ups…
Kimberly did more dance steps before she stood with her back to the length of the beam. Coach Russo was still talking Kimberly through her routine. Kimberly closed her eyes. The bell went off. Kimberly did 2 back handsprings, right into her Arabian double tuck, landing in a very low squat position, but nevertheless she stuck the landing. "Yes, clean good job Kim!Go Kimberly, nice and clean, strong landing. Stay focus! Smooth… nice, smooth… yea, yay!" Coach Russo yelled at the end as Kimberly stood with her feet planted to the mat.
Announcer 2: Not here Peter! That was amazing! Not one waver in that performance!
Kimberly rose up with the crowd screaming in cheers, as her arms were held high above her head. Kimberly smiled and waved to the crowd as she walked off. Coach Russo quickly hugged Kimberly as she came over to the team.
Announcer 3: Give it to her, give it to her!
Peter urged knowing that Kimberly earned the highest score for the amazingly great beam routine. Judges smiled, giving Kimberly a much awarded and well-deserved 9.9, probably the closest thing to a perfect score a gymnast will ever get. Kimberly gasped when the 9.9 came on the screen. All the girls screamed and hugged her.
"That's the way to take it, Champ!"
"Thanks." After the finish of beam, the scores were as so, 9.650, 9.737, 9.625, 9.862, 9.850, and 9.900. Shannon earning the second top scores behind Kimberly, the American team was still in the lead after 2 rotations with a high score of 291.641, nearly half a point, 0.497 ahead of Russia. Romania followed by China.
Floor
After the bye, the Americans, with Amanda to start on floor for the American once again. It was another strategy to build on performances for this rotation, knowing the Russians were on beam where they also tend to score high 9.7s, 9.8s even. Amanda first up, needs to hit her first tumbling pass out the way, then she can breathe through the rest of her exercise. Amanda got the crowd up first, as she danced around. DD second up with a great dramatic wonderful folk dancing performance. And she applied the pressure to the Russians with her wonderful exercise. DominiqueM chose the song, 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' as a tribute to Georgia. Lil Domini brought that youthful fun to the Games. It was an instant favorite as the music started off. Kimberly and rest of the team was standing up, clapping to the music and got the crowd into it as well. Shannon would be next followed by Kimberly and Kerri to anchor the team in the end. Shannon finished her exercise a bit disappointed but with a huge smile on her face. Her performance to the classical music was a bit off tonight. Kimberly hugged Shannon as soon as she came off from floor, since she had to be quick being next up on the floor. Shannon just had one slight mishap on her first pass, the double layout, she landed short and had to pop out, other than that, Shannon scored a high 9.625, though she could have scored higher.
Announcer 1: With the Russians on beam now, nearly 5 tenths of a point behind, the American team is going to have to pick it up on the final 2 girls.
Announcer 3: And not to put any more pressure on the American, but the last 2 Russian gymnasts scored over 9.8 on their beam routines.
Announcer 2: That's more pressure for the Americans, but this team is applying the pressure just the same to the Russians!
The crowd wondering if that exercise from Shannon broke the American's momentum with Kimberly coming up next. The lights shining down on her brightly.
Announcer 1: And here is Kimberly Hart. Can she bring her team back into focus after Shannon's floor routine?
Kimberly took deep breaths as she closed her eyes to envision her floor routine. She could see the crowd, but not hear them. She had blocked the loud screams and waving flags so she could be in focus. She had done this routine a million times now, yet none seemed like now, this has to the most pressure packed floor routine as of right now, this very moment, she will ever experience. Kimberly walked on the floor mat.
"Let's go Kimberly!" Coach Russo yelled.
"Go Kimberly!" The girls yelled. Kimberly slightly paused before going into her stance, her eyes locked with Tommy.
"You can do it Beautiful," Tommy shouted. "I love you," he mouthed.She smiled, but it faded almost as quickly as it came. She went back into focus as her head went down with her eyes close. 'This one is for you tiger.'
Kimberly stood still with her head down and her arms stretched backwards behind her. The music came on. Maksim Mrvica's Handel's Sarabande a piano piece the first 10 seconds as Kimberly danced around to the corner of that mat. Kimberly loved the up tempo music to add fun to the Olympic Games. Kimberly took a deep breath. The slow piece moved to an upbeat techno music with the piano as Kimberly ran down for her first tumbling pass. Kimberly's first tumbling past, a full twisting double layout. The only gymnast able to do it in a layout, not tuck. Tommy was the first to jump from his seat as she landed perfectly, knowing she still had the second pass within seconds after that landing.
Announcer 3: WOW! One more!When she landed the crowd rose up clapping as her feet were planted to the mat. But Kimberly didn't have a smile on her face; she would smile at the end once it was done. Kimberly looked straight ahead just a second after landing her first pass, eyeing the next tumbling pass. Kimberly took another deep breath almost immediately, as she slightly stepped back before she ran into her second pass, Arabian double front with a front layout. Tommy threw his arms up laughing and jumping up and down in just as much excitement again as Kimberly hit her second tumbling pass again with just as much height and power as the first and landed just as perfect.
Announcer 2: Double wow! Did you see that height!Kimberly danced around the floor. She did her signature double triple spin, which made the crowd cheer again before her 4 jump leaps in combination. Kimberly did an illusion to one side of the mat. Kimberly danced around a bit more before she stood in a corner eyeing her third pass. Kimberly did her series of front flips as she ran into a front handspring, front full twist into a simple front layout. Every American lady did that pass as apart of their floor routine, but none so far did that pass as high and beautiful as Kimberly just did. The crowd cheered again. She danced around on the floor, lifting herself up into a handstand as she moved from the middle of the mat. Kimberly did her double axel jump into another axel jump with her leg extended out to the final corner of her exercise. Kimberly took a deep breath in and blew it out before she ran into her final pass, a simple double twist. She stood with her arms up high and a smile finally, though she wanted to save it for the end, but the smile had another idea as it poured from her face. Kimberly did a spin dance run into a cartwheel ending in a high split, back aerial flip. Kimberly ended with a full twist horizontal down to the floor mat on her stomach; face down at the last note to the music. Everybody in the stands were standing, clapping and cheering for Kimberly. Kimberly pushed herself up on her knees and slapped the floor with both hands before she stood up and waved to the crowd. Kimberly smiled as she walked off the mat, waving in circles to the crowd for their applause. All the girls rushed to hug her immediately.
"That was wonderful Kim!"
"Way to go Kim!"
"Yay Kim!" Amanda yelled hugging her last.
"Thanks!"
"Kimberly! Kimberly!" The crowd chanting. But all of sudden the crowd went quiet for the marks, but after 2 minutes, nothing came up. Tommy led the crowd with '10! 10! 10!' Everybody followed. Kimberly walked around waiting for her scores.
"What's going on?" Kimberly asked still breathing hard from her remarkable performance. She slid on her jacket.
"I don't know."
"Why are they taking so long?"
"It was that damn good, maybe they are still stunned like the crowd," DominiqueM said. Kimberly laughed.
After Kimberly's magnificent performance on floor, bringing the crowd to their feet much like when Dominique performed to 'The Devil Went Down To Georgia' earning some house praise, Kerri was last up on floor, but had a long wait as the judges got together on evaluating Kimberly's performance. It was the same after Shannon's exercise, where the judges took a while to give her score out. There was another judges' conference to discuss Kim's floor routine. That scared Kimberly as she still was waiting after her performance. Shannon's score came up within 2 minutes, but 5 minutes had passed and still nothing.
"Where's the score?"
"Come on!"
"Where's the score!"
Kimberly stood with the other girls waiting for her score to appear on the scoreboard, but nothing came still. Kimberly was shaking with worry. She ran her hand over the top of her head. She knew she landed each pass in bounds, that couldn't have been the problem they were discussing. So many thoughts running through Kim's head. 'Maybe I didn't get completely around on my triple spin, or that double axel, though I feel like I did. I knowI slightly missed that second axel. Maybe I didn't end on the final note like planned. MaybeI did step out of bounds onthatsecondpass. I was pretty close.Maybe I forgot a skill.' Every skill was being played over and over in her head in hopes to find the problem.
"Come on! Come on!" Amanda yelled along with the others. Kimberly just shook her head. She groaned. Kimberly sat down, her hands burying her face. She was on the verge of tears. The trainee came, rubbing and patting her back.
"You did well Kim, don't you worry." Kimberly raised her head and looked Brenda in the eyes. "You did so well. I'm so proud of you." Kimberly smiled.
"Where's the score?" Coach Béla yelled.
"Come on!"
Finally after the long wait a score of 9.940 flashed in red on the huge screen. Kimberly let out a gasp in complete surprise, as some of her teammates screamed loudly to her amazingly high score. A few tears formed in Kim's eyes, she thought the reason for the long delay was because she had failed the team. Crowd erupts at her damn near perfect score. A 10 was unheard of Olympic sport after the great Nadia Comaneci, but the 9.900 on beam figured to be the highest score tonight from Kimberly, then she went and topped that. Then again, she was just as damn near perfection on floor as on beam. Kerri went up last. Kimberly was the first standing and cheering her on. It would have been scary for any gymnast with the long delay for Kim's scores, no other gymnasts was competing at the time she walked to the floor mat. All eyes were on Kerri's floor performance. After Kerri's last tumbling pass, the crowd was on their feet, and stayed there until the music stopped. Kimberly was the first to hug Kerri as she walked off the mat.
"That was amazing girl!" Kimberly shouted over the loud cheers. For the final team score on the floor rotation was a 48.899 with the lowest score 9.600. The scores came as a 9.737, 9.787, 9.750 9.618, 9.940 and 9.825.
Before the vault rotations for the American team, Amanda brought the ladies stood together in a circle with their hands out, one on top of the other. Amanda looked everyone in the eyes. Everyone was smiling.
"One more to go girls. One more rotation. One more time to shine."
"One more," Kimberly said.
"We just need to stand up on our feet and we win this." All the ladies nodded. "Just stand up for America. Stand up for your country, stand up for your team! I believe in you all. I believe in this team. Let's go do this!"
"USA on 3," Shannon said.
"1, 2, 3…"
"USA!" The girls shouted. The girls lined up and headed for their final apparatus.
Announcer 1: Russians are next on beam, nearly 5 tenths of a point behind the American team.
Announcer 3: All the final 2 Russian beam routines, all scored over 9.8s after that fall, which will put more pressure for the American team who will be ending on the vault tonight.
VaultThe last stop for the USA girls was vault. This rotation would determine the Olympic team gold medal. First up, Amy Chow, then Shannon, DD, Kimberly, Dominique, and finally Kerri would anchor tonight's competition. Coach Bella felt she had earned it. Kimberly watched Amy hit her 2 vaults with either a hop or a big step forward on both her Yurchenko 1 and ½ twist and full double twist. DD was next after Shannon and was spectacular. Shannon had slight steps to the side or back. DD had slight hops, but was great with her height and straight body. Kimberly came after DD.
Kimberly's 2 vaults, first she did her Yurchenkodouble twist, a round-off onto the springboard, a back handspring onto the hors with the twist. Kimberly ran down to do her Yurchenko vault. She landed with a slight hop. Kimberly's second vault a double tuck front with a half twist. The upgrade from the Compulsories, Kimberly does a half twist instead of just the double front. Kimberly lands her second vault perfectly. The crowd cheers. Next up is DominiqueM.
It was as if the air was taken out of the Georgia Dome was they watched Dominique sit down on her first vault after just getting overall excited from Kim's 9.775 on her vaults. Kimberly gasped. Dominique never missed a vault like that in competition before. Everyone clapped in hopes to bring the young gymnast's spirits up. Dominique walked back up the ramp. She was going to do that vault again. Dominique's 2 sit downs on both her vaults, caused groans to fill the Georgia Dome in fear.
Dominique got a 9.137 on that vault. Bella groaned.
"It's okay, Domi." Dominique nodded to Kimberly as they hugged. All the girls hugged her to console their young gymnast. It was Kerri's turn on vault. The final girl. America's hope for gold. They still needed a 9.655 or better from Kerri to win. Kerri eyed her first vault. It would be up to Kerri to end and win the gold for American team. Kerri took a deep breath as she stood at the line for her first vault.
"You can do it Kerri!" The girls shouted together. Kerri ran down and did her Yurchenko vault. Everyone gasped and groaned when she fell to her butt. Kimberly cringed, as Kerri seemed to be in pain. Kimberly covered her mouth. Kerri sat down on first vault. All the girls gasped in shock. The crowd groaned and gasped when it happened again. Kerri landed on her butt as Dominique just did. 3 falls back-to-back. She hopped up, but looked to be in pain. Kerri walked back down the ramp. But Kerri looked as though she had really hurt herself, as she flexed her ankle constantly as she walked back to the line. .
"Come on Kerri!"
"You can do it Kerri!" Kerri limped her way back down the ramp.
"You can do it! I believe in you!" Kimberly shouted.
"You can do it! You can do it Kerri!" Béla Károlyi yelled. "You will do it!" Kerri nodded. She stood at the white line. Kerri comes back with a perfect landing one second on one foot. The crowd exploded in cheer. Kimberly and the other girls jumping joy as they saw Kerri land her second vault. Strug vaulted a clean Yurchenko with one and a half twists, landing with both feet but immediately lifting her left leg in pain. Balancing on her right foot, she turned to salute the judges, and then fell to the floor until the coaches were able to reach her and carry her off the podium.
"Oh no," Kimberly mouthed when Kerri fell to her knees in pain from her ankle.
Kerri landed her second vault, but immediately dropped her knees after turning to the judges hopping on one foot. She wasin pain from her ankle. All the girls wanted to rush to help their fallen gymnast. The trainers rushed to Kerri's side to check her out. Kerri sprained her ankle as she performs the last vault that wins it for the American team. As the last competitor, Kerri Strug punctuated the victory with one of the most heroic moments thus far in the history of American gymnastics. The USA already had one low vault score from DominiqueM, thus putting the pressure on Strug to hit her second vault. In a dramatic finish, the scoreboard flashed 9.712. The crowd went crazy! American girls had just taken the gold medal and everyone knew it. Best finish in the history of American gymnastics: women's team wins the gold medal!Coach Károlyi carried her off the vault arena into the backroom for Kerri to be examined.
48.548 final team score, lowest score 9.200
9.662, 9.720, 9.700, 9.755, 9.200, and 9.712
It was dramatic win,as the US women beat Russia for team gold. Tommy was allowed to leave the stands and rushed over to the edge. Kimberly was being hugged by all the girls, though their minds on Kerri, still in the backstage. Kimberly pulled away and ran up to the stands. Tommy held his hands out for her. Kimberly didn't want Tommy's hands. With help, Kimberly was lifted up into the stands. She hugged Tommy immediately. Kimberly didn't care about the security as she climbedover with help from Tommy.
"You did it, Beautiful! You won gold!" They kissed and hugged. The crowd was chanting 'USA' over and over. Kimberly looked to her family and friends and hugged them as well. Kimberly returned to Tommy. They hugged tightly again.
"Thank you!"
"For what?" Tommy asked as he looked at Kimberly.
"I couldn't have done this, any of this without you," Kimberly said. Tears in her eyes. Tommy smiled, wiping her face.
"Yeah you could Beautiful, but it wouldn't have been this fun." Kimberly smiled.
"I love you Tommy." Tommy hugged Kimberly tight again. "You are my yang."
"I love you too, Beautiful. My ying." They hugged again.
Results from Atlanta from Women's Team Optionals:
Final Team Standings
1 USA 389.225
2 Russia 388.404
3 Romania 388.246
4 China 385.867
5 Ukraine 385.841
6 Belarus 381.263
7 Spain 378.081
8 France 377.715
9 Hungary 377.464
10 Australia 375.415
11 Greece 371.291
12 Japan 367.062
AN: Thanks bunches everyone, don't forget to review!
:P
Teaser to Chapter 30: Crowning America's Princess
"Come on, Ms. team gold medal Olympian, time for bed."
"Are you gonna call me that all the time from now on?"
"Pretty much until you win another gold medal."
"And if I don't..."
"Why are you even thinking that? You are gonna take home a few more medals."
"I don't know, these next competitions are not a cake walk."
"Well, I have a bet going on with Rocky and Oscar. You have to win now." Kimberly laughed.
"How much money you got on me?"
"A few hundred." Tommy smiled.
"You know gambling can be addictive tiger."
"Only if you lose all the time."
