EVENTS
 Sportsman of the Year
 Heisman Trophy
 Swimsuit 2001

CNNSI.com GROUP
 Sports Illustrated
 Life of Reilly
 Television
 SI Women
 SI for Kids
 Press Room
 TBS/TNT Sports
 CNN Languages

COMMERCE
 SI Customer Service
 SI Media Kits
 Get into College
 Sports Memorabilia
 TeamStore

Raising the bar

Click here for more on this story

SYDNEY, Australia -- Imagine Michael Jordan missing a game-winning shot or Wayne Gretzky sending one skimming one off the post in the closing seconds. Or Tiger turning a 10-footer into a rim job.

That's sort of what happened last night in the team finals of women's gymnastics in Sydney. Russia's Svetlana Khorkina is still the favorite to claim the all-around title here on Thursday, though she'll have ample competition. But more than that she is a solid bet to win gold on Sunday on the uneven bars, an event she has owned as few other gymnasts in history have ever mastered a single apparatus. Since 1994, Khorkina has entered nine individual event finals on bars at Europeans, worlds and Olympics and won them all. So with Russia in the chase with Romania and China for the team title Tuesday night, Khorkina's bars set in the second of four rotations seemed a sure thing.

From Sports Illustrated • SI Images: Photos from the Games • Tim Layden: Injury forces Miller out of 100 • E.M. Swift: Gymnastics' balance (beam) of power has shifted • Brian Cazeneuve: Dream Team missing some big names | Raising the bar • Richard Hoffer: Boxer hopes to triumph through devastating losses • Phil Taylor: We should embrace Dream Team dominance • Grant Wahl: U.S. men's soccer teams making headway • Michael Farber: Aussie teams all have unique aliases • Alex Wolff: Archers carry Bhutan's Olympic hopes • SI for Women's Kelli Anderson: Aussie pool party • Medal Picks: SI's Predictions More Features • Day at a Glance: Out of position • Wake-up Call: Tracking the day • Viewers' Guide: What to watch for • Statitudes: By The Numbers • Quiz: Today's tester Athletes • Gary Hall Diary: All about recovery • Fashion Report: Miki Barber -- You can tell Americans a mile away • Athlete Bios: U.S. Rosters Multimedia • Photo Gallery: Shots of the Day • Photo Gallery: Women's Gymnastics Finals • Multimedia Central: Photo Galleries, Video and More

Then inexplicably, Khorkina, as gymnasts like to say, "biffed" her bars routine. She reached for the top bar during a release move she has nailed dozens of times in competition, a Stalder-reverse Hecht going over the bar, and simply missed it. When Khorkina dropped to the mat, Russian coach Leonid Arkaev turned his head toward the Superdome ceiling, perhaps sensing his team was vulnerable. Khorkina settled for a 9.00 on her best event and the usually steady Russian team came unglued. They moved to the balance beam next and seemed instantly unbalanced by their leader's costly error. Russia's first three gymnasts, Anastasia Kolesnikova, Elena Zamolodchikova and Ekaterina Lobazniuk, each fell off the beam. Khorkina saved them by breezing though her routine, but the damage was done. The Romanians had already finished with a team total of 154.608 and even with a strong series of floor routines, the Russians fell short by a scant two-tenths of a point. Because teams use five of their six gymnasts in team competition and can throw out their lowest scores, Khorkina would have needed to earn a mark of 9.855 or better on bars to lift her team from silver to gold. She has done that before.

Asked afterward if she was crying or in shock after the miss, the usually chatty 21-year-old Khorkina said simply "nyet." She then gave the gymnastics equal of a Muhammad Ali/Joe Namath/Mark Messier guarantee: "It was my dream to be a champion today," she said, "but relax, because I'll be a champion the next time. I'm quite sure I'll be a champion here. This will not happen again. It is certain."

The queen of the bars has just raised it a little higher.

Sports Illustrated writer-reporter Brian Cazeneuve is in Sydney covering the Games for the magazine and CNNSI.com. Check back daily to read Cazeneuve's behind-the-scenes reports from Down Under.

 

Related information
Stories
SI's Brian Cazeneuve: Dream Team missing some big names SI's Brian Cazeneuve: Swimmers cheer for their peers SI's Brian Cazeneuve: The Pedros were golden in support Archive: Sports Illustrated at the Olympics
Multimedia
Visit Multimedia Central for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call your cable operator or DirecTV.

Copyright © 2001 CNN/Sports Illustrated An AOL Time Warner Company. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you. Read our privacy guidelines.