China Gymnasts Golden Amid Age Accusations

Second-place US thinks Chinese girls too young

By Kevin Spak, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 13, 2008 7:46 AM CDT

(Newser) – China’s women bested the defending champion US women to take their first gymnastics gold medal today, as the Americans stumbled and the younger, smaller Chinese gymasts won a comfortable lead. But the victory came amid continuing charges that the Chinese competitors—who average 4 foot 9 and 77 pounds—are under the legal age of 16.

As they were celebrating their victory, Martha Karolyi, the US team manager, noticed one of the girls had a missing tooth, suggesting that her age had been falsified. “I have no proof,” Karolyi told the New York Times, “but it possibly could be true.” China’s coach says the accusations are unfair. “If they think they can tell someone’s age just by looking at them, well, if you look at the foreign athletes, they have so much more muscles than the Chinese,” he said. “Do you then say that they are doping?”

China's gymnastics team members wave to the crowd after receiving their gold medals in the women's gymnastics team finals, Aug. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

US gymnasts display their silver medals after the women's gymnastics team finals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Tom Curley)

Chinese gymnast Cheng Fei performs on the balance during the gymnastics Women's Team Final at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in Beijing, Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

To report an error on this story, notify our editors.

More Newser Stories

IOC Strips China's 2000 Bronze Medal

Gymnast Dong Fangxiao was just 14 at the time

(AP) - China was stripped of a bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics today for fielding an underage female gymnast, with the women's team medal now going to the US. The International Olympic Committee acted after investigations by the sport's governing body determined that Dong Fangxiao was only 14 at the 2000 Games. Gymnasts must turn 16 during the Olympic year to be eligible. More»

Officials Clear Chinese Gymnasts

But some of the 2000 competitors were too young, FIG says

(AP) - China's 2008 gold medal gymnasts are in the clear, after international gymnastics officials said today the documentation provided confirms the women were old enough to compete. But the Chinese team that won the bronze medal 8 years ago still faces questions about the age of two competitors. More»

China Wraps Up Olympic Idyll

A look back at a successful 2 weeks

(NEWSER) - The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games wrapped up today with a star-studded fireworks-filled extravaganza worthy of its opening, Reuters reports. With 51 golds, China easily topped the medal rankings, capping a near-flawlessly-executed couple of weeks that saw smog lifting, transport worries evaporating, and Tibet protests dwindling. Still, arrests and suppression of free speech marred China's image, say critics. More»

China's Gold Rush Pays Off Nicely for Athletes

Government, corporations give athletes big bucks on top of Olympic glory

(NEWSER) - Decades ago, bringing glory to the motherland would have been the sole reward for victorious Chinese Olympians. The glory is still there—plenty of it, as China leads the gold medal table—but champions can now expect an average reward of $300,000 in cash and bonuses, even before corporate sponsorship deals roll in, the Los Angeles Times reports. More»

Obscure Tiebreaker Gives China's He Gold Over Liukin

0.033 margin on deductions puts American in second place in uneven bars

(NEWSER) - Chinese gymnast He Kexin won a gold medal on the women’s uneven bars today, despite exactly same score as American Nastia Liukin, the New York Times reports. Liukin and He each scored 16.725, but since gymnastics no longer gives out dual medals, He was awarded the gold, thanks to a lower average deduction total—a margin of just 0.033. More»

NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS

What is Newser?

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser, we choose the most thought-provoking and entertaining stories from hundreds of US and international sources and reduce them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »

Partnering with: Slate

View Newser on the mobile website

China Gymnasts Golden Amid Age Accusations

Second-place US thinks Chinese girls too young

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

China • 2008 Beijing Olympics • gymnastics • gold medal

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

IOC Strips China's 2000 Bronze Medal

Gymnast Dong Fangxiao was just 14 at the time

Officials Clear Chinese Gymnasts

But some of the 2000 competitors were too young, FIG says

China Wraps Up Olympic Idyll

A look back at a successful 2 weeks

China's Gold Rush Pays Off Nicely for Athletes

Government, corporations give athletes big bucks on top of Olympic glory

Obscure Tiebreaker Gives China's He Gold Over Liukin

0.033 margin on deductions puts American in second place in uneven bars

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?

China Gymnasts Golden Amid Age Accusations

Second-place US thinks Chinese girls too young

Bookmark & Share

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

China • 2008 Beijing Olympics • gymnastics • gold medal

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

IOC Strips China's 2000 Bronze Medal

Gymnast Dong Fangxiao was just 14 at the time

Officials Clear Chinese Gymnasts

But some of the 2000 competitors were too young, FIG says

China Wraps Up Olympic Idyll

A look back at a successful 2 weeks

China's Gold Rush Pays Off Nicely for Athletes

Government, corporations give athletes big bucks on top of Olympic glory

Obscure Tiebreaker Gives China's He Gold Over Liukin

0.033 margin on deductions puts American in second place in uneven bars

About Us

Site

Newser By Users

Community

Site Maps

Tools

More News

What is Newser?