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Worlds are just warm-up for 2008, says China
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-11-15 11:01
 Russia, a dominant force in gymnastics in Soviet days, were a flop in
Athens, failing to win a single gold medal for the first time since joining the
Olympic competition in 1952.The Russians, led by the ageing Alexei Nemov and
Svetlana Khorkina, managed only a silver and two bronzes.
The world championships in Melbourne, which open next Monday, are the first
major championships in 12 years in which neither Nemov or Khorkina will be
competing.
Khorkina, the only gymnast to capture three world all-round titles, retired
last year after failing to win a coveted Olympic all-round crown, the only one
missing from her resume.
The Russian diva, who finished second behind American Carly Patterson in the
all-round competition, also missed out on becoming the first person to win the
same apparatus title at three consecutive Olympics.
In Athens, the self-proclaimed queen of the asymmetric bars lost her grip and
fell to the mat seconds into her complex display, ending her Olympic dream.
Nemov, with 12 Olympic medals to his name and the 2000 all-round champion,
also bowed out empty-handed, finishing a disappointing fifth in the horizontal
bar final after judges controversially marked him down.
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