Especially on pommel horse. Especially at the Olympics.
While having Chris Brooks and Sam Mikulak go spinning off pommels removed some of the sparkle of an occasionally spectacular Saturday
during Olympic preliminaries, it also offered a reality check. As solid as the
score of 270.405 points was — second only to two-time defending champion China —
the Americans know it can be better during Monday's team finals.
"We just want to keep building momentum Nike Air Max 97 Undefeated Sail Weiß Kaufen ," Mikulak said. "I think that's what today was, getting comfortable on the equipment and making a little
bit of a statement. Hopefully that statement will carry over and we can carry
that momentum to Monday."
Four years ago in London, the Americans dominated qualifying only to slide to fifth with a medal on the line Herren Nike Air Max 97 Ultra Triple Black Billig , a fall kickstarted by a forgettable set on pommels. China, which slogged to sixth in prelims, rebounded
all the way to the top of the podium.
It's a painful memory that remains fresh for the five men on Team USA Herren Nike Air Max 97 Silber Weiß Rot Kaufen , all of whom were involved on the 2012 team in some capacity. This group, they insist, is not that group.
They're older. Wiser. And not so caught up in their own hype.
"We were just so pumped up about everything we might have just believed in ourselves that we might have already proven ourselves Herren Nike Air Max 97 Schwarz Schweiz ," Mikulak said. "This time we all know that's not what we're going to do. ... What happened today doesn't matter
on Monday."
Russia, Japan, Britain Herren Nike Air Max 97 OG GS Schwarz Günstig , Brazil, Ukraine and Germany all advanced to the eight-team final, though the sometimes giddy atmosphere —
punctuated by host Brazil's euphoric breakthrough in front of a raucous home
crowd during the opening session — was tempered by sobering reminders of the
sport's ever present danger.
French gymnast Samir Ait Said broke his left leg while trying to land a vault Damen Nike Air Max 97 Rosa Weiß Schweiz , the crack of the bone shattering upon impact with the mat echoing throughout the arena and the
shocking images of Said holding it in his hands instantly going viral.
"It is catastrophic," French teammate Cyril Tommasone said.
Andreas Toba's right knee buckled during his floor routine. While the German managed to compete on pommels, he watched the rest of
qualifying in sweat pants with his right leg ramrod straight in a
brace Damen Nike Air Max 97 GS Rosa Weiß Reduziert , his Olympics over.
"I cried like a little kid," Toba said. "The injury on my knee is big, but the emotional injury is way bigger."
Japan's missteps were far less painful but nearly as startling. Nine months ago after ending China's long run at the top by surging to gold at
the world championships Online Herren Nike Air Max 97 Schwarz Gold , the Japanese looked a bit overcome by the stage at Rio Olympic Arena.
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